NORTHERN IRELAND

Foreign Investment in UK

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions she has held with the Northern Ireland Executive on the Investment Conference to be held in Northern Ireland in October 2013.

Theresa Villiers: I have discussed the forthcoming G8 Investment Conference with Northern Ireland Executive Ministers. I am delighted the Prime Minister will participate in it. My officials will maintain their close contact with Invest NI and No. 10 in the run-up to this significant event which will showcase Northern Ireland as an excellent location for investment and trade.

Historical Enquiries Team

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment she has made of the findings of the report by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary on the Historical Enquiries Team; and if she will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: I have noted the findings of the report and its recommendations. As the hon. Gentleman is fully aware responsibility for matters relating to the Historical Enquiries Team (HET) rests with the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), with the support of the Department of Justice under the devolved Administration in Northern Ireland.

Historical Enquiries Team

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions she has had with the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland regarding the report by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary on the Historical Enquiries Team.

Theresa Villiers: I had a scheduled meeting with the Chief Constable on Wednesday 3 July to discuss a range of issues. We discussed the recently published HMIC report into the Historical Enquiries Team.

Immigration Controls

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make it her policy to introduce border controls between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Michael Penning: The Government has no plans to reintroduce border controls between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Free movement for those who are lawfully present within the Common Travel Area provides important economic and social benefits to the UK, especially Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland Civic Forum

Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress is being made on implementing the Civic Forum in Northern Ireland.

Theresa Villiers: Strand 1 of the 1998 Belfast agreement set out that a Civic Forum should be established to act as a consultative mechanism on social, economic and cultural issues. The work of the forum was suspended in 2002 alongside the operation of the other institutions of devolved government.
	Responsibility for further steps on the forum lies with the First Minister and deputy First Minister: paragraph 34 of the 1998 agreement and section 6 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 set out that arrangements for administrative support for the forum, guidelines for the selection of representatives, and arrangements for obtaining from the forum its views are matters for them.

Northern Ireland Government

Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which provisions of the (a) Good Friday Agreement and (b) St Andrew's Agreement (i) have been fully implemented and (ii) are yet to be fully implemented.

Theresa Villiers: The Belfast agreement set out the arrangements governing the operation of democratic institutions in Northern Ireland, as well as British-Irish institutions and the North-South Ministerial Council. The St Andrews agreement made changes to the operation of those institutions, as agreed by political parties representing a majority of unionist and nationalist opinion in Northern Ireland.
	The agreements are substantially implemented. There remain areas in which disagreements exist as to possible further implementation steps. We are committed to upholding the institutions created by the agreements and remain ready to work with the Northern Ireland political parties, the Assembly and Executive, the Irish Government and other relevant bodies to resolve outstanding issues.

Parades

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps she plans to take to ensure that determinations made by the Parades Commission are accepted by all parties and organisations in Northern Ireland and that decisions are supported by the rule of law.

Theresa Villiers: I have had a number of recent meetings with those involved in or affected by parading. These include political representatives, senior members of the Loyal Orders and local residents. At all of these meetings, I have emphasised that determinations made by the Parades Commission are legally binding.
	The Parades Commission, which operates independently of the Government, is responsible for making determinations in accordance with the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998.
	The PSNI is responsible for the investigation and prosecution of anyone who is found to be in breach of determinations made by the Commission.

Public Expenditure

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what her Department's budget has been in each year since 1998.

Theresa Villiers: The funding provided to the Northern Ireland Office is published on HM Treasury's website in the form of the Main Estimate. While the HMT site is currently being upgraded to gov.uk, the Main Estimates for each year from 1999-2000 to 2012-13 can be found in the archived data at:
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130405170223/http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/psr_estimates_mainindex.htm
	Following the devolution of policing and justice functions on 12 April 2010, and subsequent reconfiguration of the Northern Ireland Office, there was a significant impact on the size, shape and structure of the Department, which reduced the budget significantly from 2010-11 onwards.
	The current year's Main Estimate can be found on the gov.uk website at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/197780/nio_mainsupplyestimates_201314.pdf

Staff

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff, of each grade, were employed by her Department in each year since 1998.

Theresa Villiers: Because of the devolution of policing and justice functions on 12 April 2010, and subsequent reconfiguration of the Northern Ireland Office, my Department does not hold figures for the periods prior to 2010; attempting to obtain this information would incur disproportionate cost.
	Information for the period post 2010 is as follows:
	
		
			 Grade of officials Number of officials 
			 2010-11(1)  
			 SCS 5 
			 Grade A 9 
			 Grade B 3 
			 Grade C 12 
			 Grade D 15 
			 Grade E 14 
			 Grade F 13 
			   
			 2011-12(1)  
			 SCS 4 
			 Grade A 13 
			 Grade B 7 
			 Grade C 24 
			 Grade D 20 
			 Grade E 10 
			 Grade F 7 
			   
		
	
	
		
			 2012-13(1)  
			 SCS 5 
			 Grade A 15 
			 Grade B 11 
			 Grade C 22 
			 Grade D 24 
			 Grade E 10 
			 Grade F 6 
			   
			 2013-14(2)  
			 SCS 5 
			 Grade A 14 
			 Grade B 12 
			 Grade C 25 
			 Grade D 23 
			 Grade E 10 
			 Grade F 5 
			 (1) Based on staff employed at year end. (2) Based on year to date information as at 31 May 2013.

World Police and Fire Games 2013

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions she has had with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment on the tourism implications of the World Police and Fire Games in Belfast in August 2013.

Theresa Villiers: I have had various informal conversations with Executive Ministers which have included reference to the World Police and Fire Games. I am looking forward to the arrival of the athletes who will be participating, along with around 7,000 of their family and friends who are expected to attend the games. This is the third biggest participant sporting event in the world. Of the 3,500 volunteers who will support the games, 318 volunteers will be coming from outside Northern Ireland including a member of my office.
	We look forward to welcoming them all.
	Based on previous host cities of the World Police and Fire Games it is estimated visitors will spend around £92 a day which will directly benefit the Northern Ireland economy during their stay which the organising committee is determined to make “the friendliest Games ever”.

WALES

Big Society Advisory Forum

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what advice the Wales Office Big Society Advisory Forum has given to his Department to date.

Stephen Crabb: A communiqué is published after every Big Society Forum.

Conferences

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  which organisations (a) he and (b) other Ministers of his Department met at conferences in Wales in (i) October, (ii) November and (iii) December 2012;
	(2)  which conferences (a) he and (b) other Ministers of his Department attended in Wales in (i) October, (ii) November and (iii) December 2012.

Stephen Crabb: Details of ministerial meetings with all external organisations are published as part of the Wales Office quarterly transparency returns. In addition, the Wales Office website is frequently updated with information about Ministers' engagements.
	Information on other organisations present at events attended by Ministers is not available.

Electronic Government: Welsh Language

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what analysis his Department has made of which services are available through the medium of Welsh on www.gov.uk/Cymraeg; and what discussions he has with ministerial colleagues on those services on that website not currently provided in Welsh.

David Jones: The Wales Office works closely with the Government Digital Service in the Cabinet Office on the Welsh language content of the gov.uk website. The development of the site is ongoing and content is continually assessed against evidence of the needs of its English and Welsh-language users. The site has supported the Welsh language from its launch, and contains links to commonly used Welsh-language Government transactions and services.

Employment

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people have taken up jobs as a result of the Jobs Summit held in Newport in February 2013.

David Jones: The aim of the Jobs Summit was to raise awareness of and to promote the initiatives that are available to support jobseekers in Wales. Due to this Government's actions there are 32,000 more people in employment in Wales than this time last year.

Youth Work

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much funding his Department allocated for youth work in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Crabb: None.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Ash Dieback Disease: Northern Ireland

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent discussions his Department has had with the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland on preventing the escalation of ash dieback.

David Heath: Since the discovery of the outbreak of ash dieback in October 2012, representatives from the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland have been involved in developing the Government's response. Parts of that response are specific to England only, but we are working with the devolved Administrations to ensure a coordinated approach across the UK.

Bees

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the percentage loss in bee colonies in the UK during (a) the last five years and (b) the last 12 months; to what factors he attributes that loss; and if he will make a statement.

David Heath: holding answer 4 July 2013
	Colony loss is not a new phenomenon and is often associated with severe weather.
	From 2001 to 2007-08 an increase in colony losses was observed largely due to the parasitic Varroa mite, which has become endemic in the UK since it arrived in 1992. The peak of 30% losses in 2007-08 was also due to a poor summer in 2007, leading to weakened colonies going into the winter.
	The National Bee Unit (NBU) also reported that diseases and other pests were contributory factors. Subsequent survey data, collected by the National Bee Unit, reported reduced losses for honey bees—20% overwinter losses in 2008-09, 16% in 2009-10, 21% in 2010-11 and 16% 2011-12, thought to be mainly due to summers and winters which were not so unfavourable for bees.
	However, the poor summer of 2012 and the prolonged cold spring this year have again resulted in significant losses of honey bee colonies across the UK. The British Beekeepers' Association has reported 2012-13 colony losses of 33.8% using data collected from its membership.
	The National Bee Unit bee inspectors are carrying out their annual survey across England and Wales and will provide additional data on losses and other measures of the health of the honey bees later this summer.

Bees

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate his Department has made of the number of honey-bee hives in the UK which is the critical minimum below which UK food production and sustainability will be seriously damaged.

David Heath: holding answer 4 July 2013
	Staple crops that provide the vast majority of our food are wind or self-pollinated. However, pollinators play a key role in the production of many commercial crops like orchard fruits, soft fruits and vegetables.
	Honey bees are one of a very broad range of wild and managed insect species that are responsible for the pollination of these crops. The relationship between the diversity or abundance of pollinators and the service they provide in pollinating our crops is currently poorly understood.
	We need to quantify the relative contribution of different pollinators to crop types across different land-use types and regions if we are to know whether we have sufficient diversity and abundance of these insects to ensure the security of supply for these crops.
	The Insect Pollinators Initiative, co-funded by DEFRA, is one of a number of Government-funded research programmes that are seeking to improve our understanding of the contributions made by pollinating insects to our food supply. Final reports from this initiative are expected in 2014-15.

Bees

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether (a) the British Beekeepers' Association and (b) the Bee Farmers' Association will be invited to participate in the Government's review of the decline in bee colony numbers; whether the review will be completed in time for action to be taken to improve bee habitat by spring 2014; and whether legislation is likely to be required to tackle the causes of the decline.

David Heath: In his speech at the Bee Summit hosted by Friends of the Earth on 28 June, Lord de Mauley called on all interested parties to work together in developing a more ambitious and integrated approach to tackling the threats faced by pollinators.
	He announced a series of workshops, starting in September 2013, which will offer an opportunity to national experts from Government and non-government organisations for a frank and open debate on the most recent scientific progress made on pollination and the policies that affect pollinators.
	This will be one of a number of opportunities for the British Beekeepers' Association and Bee Farmers' Association to play a part and we look forward to their contribution. DEFRA is aiming to begin implementing action from spring 2014 onwards. The review will consider the full range of policy options available, including legislation where appropriate.

Bees

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will ensure that new elements of the National Pollinator Strategy are implemented before the spring of 2014.

David Heath: On 28 June, Lord de Mauley announced the Government's intention to produce a National Pollinator Strategy. We aim to produce this for consultation in November 2013, with a target of implementing priority actions from spring 2014.

Bees

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to set out a clear timetable for action to reverse bee decline in the UK.

David Heath: As announced by Lord de Mauley, at the Bee Summit hosted by Friends of the Earth on 28 June, we plan to publish a National Pollinator Strategy in November in preparation for a public consultation. This is a long-term targeted plan to ensure that bees and pollinators survive and thrive throughout the UK.

Bees

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measurable targets he plans to set for reversing the decline of bees and other pollinators as part of the National Pollinator Strategy.

David Heath: DEFRA has already established measures of performance and intended outcomes across the policy areas that impact on pollinators. For example, in “Biodiversity 2020—A Strategy for England's Wildlife and Ecosystem Services”, these guide actions to halt overall biodiversity loss, support healthy, well-functioning ecosystems and establish coherent ecological networks, with more and better places for nature, for the benefit of wildlife and people. Performance measures are included on the extent and condition of habitats and ecosystems, on the overall improvement in the status of our wildlife and the prevention of further human-induced extinctions of known threatened species.
	Programme outcomes and measures of performance will be set similarly for any new priority actions identified during the production of the new strategy.

Bees

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how he plans to involve (a) the Department for Communities and Local Government and (b) other Government departments in the National Pollinator Strategy.

David Heath: DEFRA and our delivery partners, the Environment Agency, Natural England and the Forestry Commission, are already working closely with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to develop new, concise, planning practice guidance. This is in line with the Government's proposals for implementing the recommendations of Lord Taylor's External Review of Planning Practice Guidance. It includes guidance on green spaces and biodiversity in support of planning policies to protect and enhance natural habitats. DEFRA is also working with DCLG through the Green Infrastructure Partnership, helping local decision makers to create better places for people and wildlife, including pollinators.
	As part of the development of the pollinator strategy, we intend to hold a series of stakeholder workshops and meetings in the autumn. This will include meetings with officials from DCLG and other Government Departments where appropriate.

Bees

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that the UK will lead the way internationally in developing strategies to reverse the decline of bees and other pollinators.

David Heath: The UK is already a world leader in many of the fields that will form part of the new Strategy. For example, the National Bee Unit provides experts to support EU-Food and Veterinary Office missions; we are a member of the EU ad hoc bee expert advisory group; and we are a key participant in pan European bee research projects such as COLOSS and Epilobee. The UK is also acknowledged as operating one of the best bee health surveillance programmes in Europe and is supporting the development of surveillance programmes in other member states. The new Strategy will help us to build on this international reputation.

Domestic Waste: Recycling

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of household waste in (a) Barnsley Central constituency, (b) South Yorkshire and (c) England was recycled in each year for which figures are available.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA collects data on waste generation and management from local authorities, but does not hold information on specific areas within local authorities. Data for Barnsley Central constituency or South Yorkshire has therefore not been collected; information that is available is set out as follows.
	Recycling percentages for the years 2000-01 to 2003-04 are based on the proportion of household waste that was collected for recycling.
	
		
			 Percentage (rounded) 
			  Yorkshire and Humber region England 
			 2000-01 7 11 
			 2001-02 9 13 
			 2002-03 11 15 
			 2003-04 15 18 
		
	
	WasteDataFlow, the web-based system for municipal waste data reporting by UK local authorities to central Government, was introduced in 2004. It took some time for the new system to become established and local authority level data was produced from 2006-07. WasteDataFlow includes data on the proportion of household waste that is sent for recycling.
	The following table provides data which is available for the Yorkshire and Humber region, Barnsley metropolitan council, and England for the years 2004-05 to 2011-12.
	The data includes materials sent for recycling, composting or reuse by local authorities as well as those collected from household sources by private and voluntary organisations. It also includes residual waste from the household stream that was diverted for recycling by sorting or further treatment. It excludes material that was collected for recycling from household sources but rejected at collection or at the gate of a recycling reprocessor.
	
		
			 Percentage (rounded) 
			  Yorkshire and Humber region England Barnsley metropolitan borough council 
			 2004-05 19 23 — 
			 2005-06 22 27 — 
			 2006-07 27 31 24 
			 2007-08 31 35 32 
			 2008-09 34 38 36 
			 2009-10 37 40 43 
			 2010-11 40 42 40 
			 2011-12 42 43 46

Honey

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for what reason UK production of honey is significantly lower than the EU average as a proportion of national consumption; and what steps he plans to take to increase that proportion.

David Heath: holding answer 4 July 2013
	Figures from Eurostat for 2009 indicate that the UK produced 6,000 tonnes of honey, a significant increase on 2008 when 4,000 tonnes were produced. UK honey consumption is estimated at 28,500 tonnes a year with a per capita consumption of 0.5kg. Therefore UK production meets only 21% of demand. This compares with an EU-25 rate of 60%. Climate is the key factor in determining honey production. Both the Bee Farmers' Association (BFA) and British Beekeepers' Association (BBKA) reported on the impact last summer's rain and cold had on honey production with the BBKA reporting that the annual honey crop per hive is down by 72% compared to 2011.
	Pests, diseases and the husbandry skills of the beekeeper will also have significant impact on the productivity of the bee colony. DEFRA supports beekeepers and the services they provide (i.e. pollination and honey production) through free apiary inspection and diagnostic services for statutory diseases and pests and a free training and education programme to enable beekeepers to become more self-reliant in combating disease. Last year the National Bee Unit inspected over 36,000 colonies in nearly 8,400 apiaries, providing the opportunity for one-to-one training with the beekeepers. Under its Healthy Bees Plan, DEFRA has also co-funded education and training initiatives with beekeeping associations.

Recycling

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the number of fires at recycling plants since 2001.

Richard Benyon: holding answer 5 July 2013
	The following table gives details of Environment Agency statistics for fires at waste management sites between 2001 and 2012.
	
		
			  Number of incidents 
			 2001 246 
			 2002 343 
			 2003 398 
			 2004 337 
			 2005 346 
			 2006 379 
			 2007 290 
			 2008 275 
			 2009 337 
			 2010 345 
			 2011 425 
			 2012 302 
		
	
	These figures include regulated and unregulated sites where the cause of pollution incidents was clearly identified as fire. There is potential for some duplication within this data as a single fire event may have led to multiple pollution incidents.

Recycling

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department has estimated the average time material is stored at recycling plants before being recycled.

Richard Benyon: holding answer 5 July 2013
	It is not possible to estimate the average time material is stored at recycling plants before being recycled. The period of time for which waste materials are stored at these sites depends on a number of factors. These include the type of material, the capacity and type of storage available at the site, requirements imposed under any environmental permit conditions or the rules of any exemption from the need for a permit where applicable, and the market value of the specific material.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Devolution

Margaret Curran: To ask the Attorney-General if he will place in the Library any concordats which the Law Officers' Departments or the public bodies for which he is responsible have with the devolved Administrations.

Oliver Heald: I have placed copies in the Library of the House of the agreement between the UK Government and the devolved Administrations on direct actions and preliminary references in the European Court of Justice and the concordat between the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive on the independence of the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland.
	There are no other concordats in place between the Law Officers' Departments and the devolved administrations.

Human Trafficking

Peter Bone: To ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions there have been for human trafficking in relation to (a) nail bars and (b) cannabis factories in each of the last five years.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Case Management System cannot disaggregate the nature of the exploitation from its figures for offences of human trafficking. This data could be obtained only by manually examining all of the CPS's case files for human trafficking, which would incur a disproportionate cost.

Prisoners On Remand

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Attorney-General in what proportion of prosecutions where the Crown Prosecution Service has sought for the defendant to be remanded in prison, has such an application has been refused in (a) Kettering, (b) Northamptonshire and (c) England in the last three years.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the number of times an application to remand a defendant in prison has been refused. To provide this information would require a manual search of files incurring a disproportionate cost.

Sentencing: Appeals

Philip Davies: To ask the Attorney-General how many and what proportion of appeals against unduly lenient sentences have been successful in the last three years.

Oliver Heald: The information requested is as follows:
	In 2010, out of 342 sentences referred to the Attorney-General's office, 256 fell within the scope of the unduly lenient sentence scheme and were considered by either the Attorney-General or myself. 77 (30%) of those were heard by the Court of Appeal. Of those 77, leave was granted in 74 (96%) and sentences were increased in 60 (78%).
	In 2011, out of 377 sentences referred to the Attorney-General's office, 299 fell within the scheme and were considered by either the Attorney-General or myself. 117 (39%) of those were heard by the Court of Appeal. Of those 117, leave was granted in 108 (92%) and sentences were increased in 94 (80%).
	In 2012, out of 435 sentences referred to the Attorney-General's office, 344 fell within the scheme and were considered by either the Attorney-General or myself. 82 (24%) of those were heard by the Court of Appeal. Of those 82, leave was granted in 73 (89%) and sentences were increased in 62 (76%).
	These statistics are available on the Attorney-General's website:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/attorney-generals-office
	(2012 and 2011), and also on National Archives’ website:
	http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
	(2010).

Sentencing: Appeals

Philip Davies: To ask the Attorney-General how many requests for appeals against unduly lenient sentences have been rejected as out of time in the latest period for which figures are available.

Oliver Heald: In 2013 to date, there have not been any out of time requests for appeals against unduly lenient sentences for offences which fall within the scope of the unduly lenient sentence scheme. There were however, four out of time cases which were for offences that fell outside the scheme.
	In 2012, there were a total of 12 out of time cases, all of which were for offences that fell within the scope of the scheme.

Sentencing: Appeals

Philip Davies: To ask the Attorney-General how many appeals against unduly lenient sentences he has received in respect of each category of offence in each of the last three years.

Oliver Heald: The information requested is contained in the following table. The statistics are by offender rather than by case. Several cases had multiple offenders. For example, a single drugs case in 2011 had 20 offenders.
	
		
			 Number of offenders 
			 Offence category 2012 2011 2010 
			 Arson 1 2 2 
			 Burglary 27 15 10 
			 Driving deaths 12 7 10 
			 Drugs 38 79 33 
			 Firearms 5 6 7 
			 Hate crime 1 1 0 
			 Manslaughter 29 18 26 
			 Murder 21 25 14 
			 Robbery 51 34 29 
			 s.18 OAPA 22 35 20 
			 Sexual offences 110 51 75 
			 Other (1)43 (2)43 (3)46 
			 Non-referable 75 61 69 
			 (1) Including child cruelty, forced labour. (2) Including child cruelty, conspiracy to defraud. (3) Including perverting the course of justice, conspiracy to defraud and child cruelty.

Social Networking

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Attorney-General if he will list all Twitter accounts for which officials of the Law Officers' Departments (a) have had and (b) currently have responsibility for (i) monitoring and (ii) updating.

Oliver Heald: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) currently has responsibility for updating four official Twitter accounts. These are listed as follows:
	*@cpsuk
	*@cpscareers
	*@lgbtcpsuk
	*@benharding2.
	The CPS is not aware of any previous Twitter accounts that may have been shut down, nor does it formally monitor individual Twitter accounts,
	The remaining Law Officers' Departments do not currently have any active Twitter accounts or formally monitor individual Twitter accounts.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Private Education

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 21 May 2013, Official Report, column 717W, on armed forces: private education, what amount can be claimed by individual personnel in continuity of education allowance; and what the average individual payment has been in each year since May 2010.

Mark Francois: The amount of continuity of education allowance (CEA) that may be claimed by individual service personnel depends on which variant of CEA they receive. The amount of CEA payable during academic year 2012-13 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 CEA variant Maximum per term per child (£) 
			 CEA (Board) (Senior) 6,147 
			 CEA (Board) (Junior) 4,799 
			 CEA (Day) (Senior) 3,694 
			 CEA (Day) (Junior) 2,827 
		
	
	
		
			 CEA Special Educational Needs Addition Specialist Provision 9,185 
			 CEA Special Educational Needs Addition (Day) 5,896 
			 CEA (Guardians) (1)3.10 
			 Day School Allowance (North Wales) 4,690 
			 (1) Per day. 
		
	
	The average payment claimed by individual service personnel since financial year (FY) 2010-11 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Financial year £ 
			 2010-11 22,100 
			 2011-12 22,700 
			 2012-13 23,400 
		
	
	Service personnel may claim CEA for more than one child simultaneously.

Armed Forces: Suicide

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel were placed on the Suicide Vulnerability Risk Management register in (a) 2008, (b) 2009, (c) 2010, (d) 2011 and (e) 2012.

Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing our service personnel with the best possible mental health care and welfare support. In each of the services, commanding officers are given clear guidance on the management of individuals who are potentially vulnerable or at risk for a variety of reasons, including the risk of suicide or deliberate self-harm.
	The Suicide Vulnerability Risk Management (SVRM) policy is a preventative strategy used by the Army. SVRM allows the identification of individuals who may be at risk and signposts appropriate responses and management tools to be used by the chain of command. However, the SVRM register is a management tool which captures a total number of entries rather than numbers of individuals, meaning that any one individual may have more than one entry on the register. The register also captures all those who come under service law, and as such includes a small proportion of civilian dependents and entitled contractors. An exercise to extract the numbers of service personnel who have been placed on the SVRM register, as opposed to the total number of entries on the register, could be performed only at disproportionate cost.

Army: Recruitment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people were employed at Rhyl recruiting clinic before its closure.

Mark Francois: Three full-time military personnel were employed at Rhyl recruiting clinic prior to its closure on 14 March 2013. The administration of Army recruiting being undertaken in partnership with Capita is now delivered centrally at the national recruiting centre, enabling more military staff to be released to front-line posts. Military personnel are still employed at Army contact centres in Bangor and Wrexham.

Clyde Submarine Base

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent research has been carried out by his Department into alternative base sites in the UK for the nuclear deterrent or submarines from HM Naval Base Clyde.

Philip Dunne: None.

Firing Ranges: Shoeburyness

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the maximum decibel noise measurements were from the Shoeburyness explosion site on the morning of 7 June 2013;
	(2)  what munitions were being tested at the Shoeburyness explosion site on the morning of 7 June 2013; and whether the noise exceeded the recommended maximum of noise pollution levels.

Mark Francois: The maximum noise level attributable to activity at the Ministry of Defence Shoeburyness Test and Evaluation range on the morning of 7 June 2013 was 114 decibels (dB). This activity was part of a process to qualify new propellant for the 4.5 inch naval gun. The noise did not exceed maximum levels permitted under the Control of Noise at Work Statutory Instrument and fell well below the establishment's contractually imposed noise operating limit of 125 dB.

Military Bases: Scotland

Gordon Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library the letter from HM Industrial Pollution Directorate to Lord James Douglas Hamilton in 1990 detailing that debris from demolition work at the air station HMS Merlin was used for infilling purposes between 1944 and 1951.

Mark Francois: The Ministry of Defence has not been able to find any record of this letter.

Private Finance Initiative

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which PFI contracts held by his Department are planned to be restructured as a consequence of the Spending Review 2013.

Andrew Murrison: Ministry of Defence contracts are negotiated and amended as necessary during the course of normal business. I am withholding the information as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests. The companies will be contacted as necessary.

Private Finance Initiative

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which PFI contracts held by his Department have been restructured since May 2010.

Andrew Murrison: Ministry of Defence contracts are negotiated and amended as necessary during the course of normal business. I am withholding this information as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.

Radioactive waste: Fife

Gordon Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library the paper written in September 1992 from his Department to the Committee on Medical Aspects of radiation in the environment which named the Dalgety Bay area as a site of contamination.

Andrew Murrison: The Ministry of Defence has not been able to find any record of this paper.

Reserve Forces

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason he did not write in advance to hon. Members whose constituencies are affected by closure of Reserve sites, as is his Department's normal practice; and if he will give advanced notification to hon. Members of any further changes to military units or civilian defence establishments in their constituency.

Philip Dunne: Letters for right hon. and hon. Members whose constituencies are affected by the closures to Reserves sites announced in the House on 3 July 2013, Official Report, column 922, by the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), were issued on the same day, in accordance with normal departmental practice.
	Any further changes to military units or civilian Defence establishments will be communicated in accordance with this practice.

Reserve Forces: Halton

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reservists there were in Halton constituency in 1 April 2013.

Mark Francois: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Reserve Forces: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which units of reservists and cadets currently use Duncombe Barracks in York; how many personnel and cadets are currently attached to each unit; what arrangements have been made to accommodate each of the units at other sites; when each unit will move; and when he proposes that Duncombe Barracks will close.

Philip Dunne: Duncombe Barracks is currently home to 53 Military Intelligence Company, 5 Military Intelligence Battalion which has a current reservist strength of some 40 (rounded to nearest 10) personnel as of 1 May 2013. An Army Cadet Force detachment and a squadron of the Air Training Corps are also based in Duncombe Barracks, but the Ministry of Defence does not keep a formal record of their numbers as they are a youth organisation and not a part of the armed forces.
	It is planned that 53 Military Intelligence Company will move to Leeds by May 2014 as part of the Army Reserve restructuring process. It is too early to say what the long term future is of Duncombe Barracks but we have made clear that where cadets are collocated on sites for which there is no longer a defence requirement, we will pursue re-provision of facilities for the cadet unit to ensure that a local cadet presence is maintained.

Reserve Forces: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department will have a use for Duncombe Barracks in York after it ceases to be used by reservists and cadets; and, if not, whether he will release the land to a provider of social housing, possibly with earmarked nomination rights in respect of proportion of the housing for ex-service personnel.

Philip Dunne: The long term future of this site is yet to be determined. However re-provision for any cadet units and lodger units will be made.
	This work will now be taken forward with the Army chain of command and the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association.

Reserve Forces: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future use of facilities at Strensall, York for training medical personnel for the Reserve forces; and if he will make a statement.

Philip Dunne: The Ministry of Defence has no current plans to change the way we use the excellent facilities at Strensall.
	Headquarters 2nd Medical Brigade delivers multinational, joint and integrated Regular and Reserve Field Hospital collective training at its purpose built simulation centre, the Army Medical Services Training Centre (AMSTC) at Strensall, York.
	The past decade has seen a primary focus on supporting the Mission Specific Training pathways of Field Hospitals deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan. The AMSTC are at the forefront of preparing UK medical units and multi-national partner personnel for the demands of their operational tours and will continue to create the conditions for the delivery of deployable hospital capability to support future operations.

Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the title Shropshire Yeomanry is to be maintained by the Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry following completion of the Reserves in the Future Force 2020 process.

Andrew Murrison: It is expected that the squadrons of the Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry (RMLY) will continue to carry the RMLY cap-badge on completion of the restructuring process and will also retain all the antecedents they currently carry.

Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will outline the personnel profile for the Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry based at Dawley Bank, Telford (a) before and (b) upon completion of the Reserves in the Future Force 2020 process.

Andrew Robathan: The current establishment of the regimental headquarters of The Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry and B (Shropshire Yeomanry) Squadron of The Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry, both of which are currently based at Dawley Bank, Telford is 131 in total. This comprises:
	
		
			 Personnel Number 
			 Territorial personnel 101 
			 Regular Army personnel 8 
			 Full Time Reserve Service/Non Regular permanent staff 12 
			 Civilian personnel 10 
			 Total 131 
		
	
	On completion of the restructuring process, the establishment will be reduced to 16 Army Reserve personnel, due to the relocation of the regimental headquarters to Edinburgh and the down-sizing of B Squadron, which will become a troop detachment.

Veterans: Halton

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many veterans residing in Halton constituency are in receipt of (a) war pension scheme, (b) armed forces compensation scheme and (c) armed forces pension scheme payments.

Mark Francois: The number of veterans residing in the Halton constituency who are in receipt of War Pension Scheme, Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and Armed Forces Pension Scheme payments are 295, 15 and 285 respectively.
	Individuals can be in receipt of payments under more than one of these schemes simultaneously. Therefore the numbers reported should not be added together to provide a grand total.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time taken for a decision on asylum was for (a) under 18 male, (b) under 18 female, (c) over 18 male and (d) over 18 female applicants in each of the last 10 years.

Mark Harper: holding answer 2 July 2013
	Data prior to 1 October 2006 is not aggregated in national reporting systems and can only be provided through a disproportionately expensive manual case search to collate the figures. As consequence we have provided data from 1 October 2006 onwards and these figures are shown in the table:
	
		
			 Table 1: Average processing times for asylum decisions. 1 October 2006 to 31 March 2013 
			 Days 
			   Financial year 
			 Sex Age 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Male Under 18 172 219 195 139 113 164 134 
		
	
	
		
			 Female Under 18 192 207 222 151 115 166 119 
			 Male 18 and over 145 214 198 104 57 67 46 
			 Female 18 and over 118 188 175 91 57 74 51 
			 Notes: 1. The figures quoted have been derived from management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols. 2. Figures relate to main applicants only. 3. Figures relate to first asylum claim and initial decisions only. 4. Data relate to applications lodged between 1 October 2006 and 31 March 2013. 5. Processing time based on the average number of calendar days between the application raised date and first case outcome date. Data refer to completed applications only.

Billing

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average cost to her Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period her Department paid (a) electronically and (b) by cheque.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office processes its invoices through the Ministry of Justice Shared Service Centre. The devolved nature of the process within the Home Office means that a full end to end cost is difficult to identify but the costs to the Department for the Shared Service Centre can be identified.
	The average cost for the last 12 months was £3.93 per invoice (£4.62 in 2011 and £4.34 in 2012). This was the cost of the Shared Service Centre teams directly involved with processing the invoice and their share of the overheads. It does not include Home Office costs internally such as ordering, approving and confirming the receipts of goods and services.
	This figure covers the core headquarters and its agencies. Other Home Office NDPBs do not use the Shared Service Centre for their transactions. The proportion of invoices paid electronically during 2012/13 is 84% and the proportion paid by cheque for the same period is 16% (we reported 78.9% and 21.1% respectively in October 2012). These are the latest financial data available. Last year the figures were 97% for electronic payments and just 3% for cheques. However since these figures were published the Department has increased the scope of its Shared Services provision and there is now a higher proportion of small value, one-off supplier payments that are being made (in line with the larger volume of SMEs engaged, who are without electronic payment systems).

Entry Clearances

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the effect of the Visitor Visa Bond on the number of business trips to the UK from (a) Pakistan and (b) India which seek to secure bilateral trade and investment;
	(2)  what consideration her Department has given to the risk of reciprocation from countries chosen for the Visitor Visa Bond scheme;
	(3)  for what reasons her Department selected Bangladesh as a country with which to trial the Visitor Visa Bond scheme;
	(4)  for what reasons her Department selected Nigeria as a country with which to trial the Visitor Visa Bond scheme;
	(5)  for what reasons her Department selected Ghana as a country with which to trial the Visitor Visa Bond scheme;
	(6)  for what reasons her Department selected Sri Lanka as a country with which to trial the Visitor Visa Bond scheme;
	(7)  for what reasons her Department selected Pakistan as a country with which to trial the Visitor Visa Bond scheme;
	(8)  for what reasons her Department selected India as a country with which to trial the Visitor Visa Bond scheme;
	(9)  what estimate she has made of the potential effect of the proposed Visitor Visa Bond scheme on levels of net migration to the UK; and what the evidential basis is for that estimate.

Mark Harper: We plan to introduce a pilot scheme later this year to test the impact of requiring financial bonds from selected visit visa applicants as a means of deterring non-compliance by those who overstay their visa. The details of the scheme are still being finalised, including the locations for the pilot and nationalities in scope, and will be announced in due course.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding she has made available to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for the purpose of tackling human trafficking, by amount of funding and name of recipient NGOs.

Mark Harper: In 2012-13, the following organisations received funding from the Home Office to undertake activities to help combat human trafficking:
	
		
			  £ 
			 Eaves 43,762 
			 Stop the Traffik 20,512 
			 National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children 10,000 
			 Refugee Council/The Children’s Society 44,266

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have received detailed training on combating human trafficking.

Mark Harper: Human trafficking training for all new police officers in England and Wales is mandatory. To date, 24,656 police officers have also completed an on-line training package for human trafficking. This is supplemented by locally developed and delivered training in individual police forces.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of (a) accommodation, (b) medical care, (c) psychological assistance, (d) material assistance, (e) legal aid and advice, (f) access to the labour market, (g) vocational training and education, (h) police services (crime prevention, repatriation, compensation), (i) compensation and (j) translation and interpretation services for victims of human trafficking.

Mark Harper: Since 1 July 2011, The Salvation Army has been contracted to oversee and coordinate the provision of support to adult victims of trafficking who have been referred through the National Referral Mechanism. As prime contractor, The Salvation Army delivers tailored support to victims, taking into account their individual needs. Where required, support includes access to the services set out in the question.
	Trafficked children who come into the care of local authorities receive the full range of support.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will place a copy of her Data Collection Strategy for the purpose of combating human trafficking in the Library.

Mark Harper: A specific strategy on data collection is not available. The Government is working with a number of agencies and organisations to strengthen data collection, following the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group's report which was published on 18 October 2012. Progress on strengthening data collection will be included in the second report of the Group, expected later this year.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many dedicated state units to deal with human trafficking have been established in the last 10 years.

Mark Harper: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 3 June 2013, Official Report, columns 901-02W.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the relevance to the UK of 144 actions in the Irish Government's National Action Plan to prevent and tackle trafficking in human beings.

Mark Harper: The UK works closely with its international partners to combat trafficking in human beings. This includes work with authorities in Ireland to strengthen our response and to prevent people being trafficked into, out of and within the UK, including preventing abuse of the Common Travel Area.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the maximum sentence available for human trafficking is; and how many times maximum sentences have been used in each of the last 30 years.

Mark Harper: On conviction on indictment for any offence of human trafficking and for slavery, servitude and forced labour, the maximum sentence is imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years.
	The human trafficking offences came into force in 2004. Between 2004 and 2012 no individual received the maximum sentence.
	Prosecutors may charge any additional offences which might be disclosed in the evidence, such as rape, false imprisonment or assault, to reflect the full criminality. On conviction, these offences may attract further sentences of imprisonment to run consecutively to a sentence of imprisonment for human trafficking. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is that for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	The maximum sentence in such cases has been 21 years imprisonment for a defendant convicted of trafficking for sexual exploitation, false imprisonment, rape and causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individual care plans have been developed for people who are potential victims of human trafficking in each of the last 30 years.

Mark Harper: Data on the number of individual care plans developed to support potential trafficking victims is not held centrally. Adult victims, in England and Wales, who are referred to the Salvation Army for care and support, will have a care plan put in place to meet their specific needs. Responsibility for the care, protection and accommodation of all child trafficking victims rests with local authorities regardless of nationality or immigration status. A social worker must assess the needs of each child and draw up a care plan which sets out how the authority intends to respond to the full range of the child's needs.
	Victim support in Scotland and Northern Ireland is devolved. I understand that similar provisions are in place there.

Human Trafficking

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations she has received concerning extending the period for recovery and reflection governing victims of people trafficking; and what her policy is on extending a renewable temporary residence where a person wishes to assist with investigation or prosecution of such trafficking.

Mark Harper: The UK provides for a minimum recovery and reflection period of 45 days. This is 15 days longer than the minimum 30 days suggested in the European Convention on Action against Trafficking. Where a case requires complex consideration, and victims have particularly acute needs case by case consideration is given to extending the recovery and reflection period.
	Where a victim of trafficking is assisting the police with a criminal investigation or prosecution, a renewable 12 month leave grant will be considered at the request of the police. This period can be extended if an active investigation or trial takes longer than 12 months and the person's ongoing presence in the UK is necessary to support proceedings.

Illegal Immigrants: Employment

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of illegal workers in Medway.

Mark Harper: No official estimate of the number of illegal workers within the Medway area has been published.
	In the period since January 2013, immigration enforcement officers from Kent and Sussex immigration compliance and enforcement (ICE) team have conducted seven intelligence-led enforcement visits to properties within the Medway area; this has resulted in 13 illegal workers being encountered, and 11 successful arrests.
	Kent and Sussex ICE continues to concentrate its efforts on identifying and preventing illegal working in the two counties.

TRANSPORT

A14

Therese Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  which sections of the A14 scheme are being proposed for tolling;
	(2)  when he will announce which option has been chosen for the A14 scheme.

Stephen Hammond: The Highways Agency is planning a consultation this year on the A14 scheme proposals in line with a programme to submit a Development Consent Order application in the second half of 2014. This consultation will set out the tolling proposal and the scheme options and will inform the option that is taken through the Development Consent Order process. We will provide a firmer timetable for delivery in the autumn.
	The Chief Secretary to the Treasury announced on 27 June 2013 that we will be bringing forward the planned start by almost two years. This means that construction could begin in 2016, subject to completion of statutory processes.

Carbon Emissions

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent estimate he has made of the total annual contribution of the container port market to domestic levels of carbon emissions.

Norman Baker: None, as this information is not compiled separately for the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory.

Carbon Emissions

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the total carbon emissions from (a) road freight and (b) rail freight were in each year since 1993-94.

Norman Baker: The greenhouse gas emissions for road and freight for each calendar year since 1990 (the first year they are available) are given in the table below:
	
		
			 Greenhouse gas emissions for Road and Rail freight 
			 Million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents 
			  Road freight Rail freight 
			 1990 27.3 0.5 
			 1991 26.3 0.5 
			 1992 26.8 0.6 
			 1993 27.3 0.5 
			 1994 28.7 0.5 
			 1995 28.1 0.5 
			 1996 29.2 0.5 
			 1997 29.5 0.6 
			 1998 28.9 0.6 
			 1999 27.9 0.5 
			 2000 27.0 0.5 
			 2001 26.9 0.6 
			 2002 27.6 0.5 
			 2003 27.8 0.5 
			 2004 28.2 0.6 
			 2005 29.1 0.6 
			 2006 29.6 0.6 
			 2007 30.5 0.6 
			 2008 27.9 0.6 
			 2009 27.0 0.6 
			 2010 28.8 0.6 
			 2011 28.7 0.6 
			 Source: National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory

Carbon Emissions

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on the annual contribution to carbon emissions from the road transport sector; and what steps he is taking to support an acceleration in modal shift of freight from road to rail as a means of reducing levels of carbon emissions.

Norman Baker: Ministers and officials in the Department for Transport regularly discuss a variety of matters with their opposite numbers at the Department for Energy and Climate Change, including the scope for emissions reductions from the transport sector.
	The Government supports the transfer of freight from road to rail, where it is practical, economic and environmentally sustainable to do so. However, the choice of mode is ultimately a commercial matter for the logistics sector.
	The Government supports the shift of freight from road to rail primarily through the Mode Shift Revenue Support scheme. This assists companies with the operating costs of transporting freight by rail, where this is more expensive than road and where there are environmental benefits. As a result of these grants, reductions in carbon emissions of approximately 120,000 tonnes were achieved in 2012-13 from traffic moving from road to rail.
	Additionally, the Government has announced a major programme of investment in the rail industry that will promote the development of rail freight. In particular, it has announced electrification and gauge enhancement projects between Southampton, the East and West Midlands and Yorkshire; schemes at Ely, Leicester and Peterborough to create additional freight capacity on the strategic route between Felixstowe and Nuneaton; a further £230 million of funding ring-fenced for the development of the Strategic Freight Network in Great Britain; and most recently, a £115 million project (co-funded with Transport for London) to electrify the line between Gospel Oak and Barking that will include the connections to the Port of Tilbury and the new port at London Gateway.

Conditions of Employment

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 3 June 2013, Official Report, column 970W, on conditions of employment, how many people in his Department were employed on zero hours contracts in each of the last three years.

Norman Baker: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 20 June 2013, Official Report, column 765W, given to the hon. Member for Harrow West (Mr Gareth Thomas).

Cycling: Accidents

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cycling (a) fatalities and (b) serious injuries occurred among (i) adults and (ii) children in each of the last three years; and what proportion of such (A) adults and (B) children was wearing helmets.

Stephen Hammond: The information on the number of pedal cyclists injured by age group and severity for last three years is given in the following table:
	
		
			 Number of reported pedal cycle casualties in Great Britain 2010-12 
			 Number of casualties 
			  2010 2011 2012 
			  Killed Seriously injured Killed Seriously injured Killed Seriously injured 
			 Children (aged 0-15)       
			 Male 5 326 4 333 12 262 
			 Female 2 65 2 59 1 49 
			 Total 7 391 6 392 13 311 
			        
			 Adults (aged 16+)       
			 Male 80 1,806 81 2,167 97 2,351 
			 Female 24 423 20 482 8 520 
			 Total 104 2,229 101 2,649 105 2,871 
			        
			 Unknown age       
			 Male 0 30 0 36 0 37 
			 Female 0 10 0 8 0 3 
			 Total 0 40 0 44 0 40 
			        
			 Total       
			 Male 85 2,162 85 2,536 109 2,650 
			 Female 26 498 22 549 9 572 
			 Total 111 2,660 107 3,085 118 3,222 
		
	
	The Department started collecting information relating to whether cyclists were wearing a helmet at the time of an accident from 2012. Data is therefore available only for a limited number of police forces and for a small number of accidents at the current time. Until more data on helmet wearing is available for more accidents, these figures are not robust enough for publication.

Devolution

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library any concordats which his Department or the public bodies for which he is responsible have with the devolved administrations.

Norman Baker: The Memorandum of Understanding and Supplementary Agreements, agreed in September 2012, set out principles which underlie the relationship between the UK Government and the devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. These documents are available in the Library.
	In addition the Department for Transport, including its agencies, has agreed bilateral concordats for handling of procedural, practical or policy matters with counterparts in the devolved Administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Copies of the documents will be placed in the Library.
	These concordats have been in place many years and underpin regular contacts at senior and working level between the Department and the devolved Administrations that ensure that the relationships and working practices between us remain co-operative and sound.
	We will check whether public bodies for which the Department for Transport is responsible have concordats with the devolved Administrations and these, or links to them, will be placed in the House Library in due course.

Finsbury Park Station

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with Network Rail or the Mayor of London on the refurbishment and installation of step-free access in Finsbury Park Station; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: There have been no ministerial discussions with Network Rail or the Mayor of London about step free access at Finsbury Park.
	However, officials continue to monitor delivery of the Network Rail project to provide step free access to the mainline platforms, due for completion by March 2015, and the Transport for London (TfL) project to provide access to the Victoria and Piccadilly line platforms, due for completion in 2017.
	Network Rail and TfL are working closely together to ensure that both of these complex projects are properly co-ordinated.

Gospel Oak-Barking Railway Line

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects works to commence on the electrification on the Barking to Gospel Oak Line; what the extent and cost of this work will be; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Network Rail is assessing how the Barking to Gospel Oak electrification project will be assimilated into its national programme of electrification works. The cost of the work is estimated to be £115 million.

M67

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the day-burning lighting columns located between the M60/M67/A57 Denton Roundabout and Junction 2 of the M67 in Denton to be repaired.

Stephen Hammond: Day-burning of lighting columns along a 600 metre section of the M67 motorway between Denton roundabout and junction 2 has recently been identified as an issue and an investigation into the cause is under way. I have asked the Highways Agency to write to you with its findings.
	The agency is also aware of lighting cabling faults along this section of the M67 motorway and has arranged for repairs to be undertaken by the end of September 2013.

Motorways: Litter

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  when he next expects the slip roads, carriageways, embankments, central reservations and hard shoulder of the M67 motorway through Denton to be litter picked;
	(2)  when he next expects the slip roads, carriageways, embankments, central reservations and hard shoulder of the M60 motorway through Denton and Audenshaw to be litter picked.

Stephen Hammond: Under the Code of Practice for Litter and Refuse, the locations along the M67 motorway through Denton and the M60 through Denton and Audenshaw are currently ranked at Grade B (predominantly free of litter and refuse apart from some small items). The M67 is inspected weekly, with the M60 inspected daily. If those inspections identify the need for litter picking to ensure compliance with the code of practice, then the necessary work will be programmed.

Oil: Pollution

Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with other Bonn convention signatories regarding safeguarding guillemots and other sea birds from oil spills; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Hammond: It is important to distinguish between the Bonn Convention which deals with the conservation of migratory species of wild animals and the Bonn Agreement which addresses cooperation in dealing with pollution of the north sea by oil and their harmful substances.
	No discussions have taken place at ministerial level on the Bonn Agreement. However Maritime and Coastguard Agency officials meet on a biannual basis with Bonn Agreement signatories to discuss all issues concerning pollution in the marine environment.
	Significant work on the planning and response to wildlife casualties in the marine environment has been carried out by the Bonn Agreement signatories through OTSOPA (Working Group on Operational, Technical and Scientific Questions Concerning Counter Pollution Activities).
	This framework effectively provides the basis for mutual learning of lessons in all elements of best practise across wildlife response in the maritime sector.

Polyisobutene

Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he and Ministers of his Department have had with their international counterparts concerning the carriage of polyisobutene; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Hammond: There have been no discussions at ministerial level. However Maritime and Coastguard Agency officials have spoken with their international counterparts at both the International Maritime Organization and at a Bonn Convention meeting, with respect to the carriage of polyisobutylene.

Polyisobutene

Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the International Maritime Organisation about the reclassification of polyisobutene.

Stephen Hammond: Maritime and Coastguard Agency officials have had initial, informal discussions with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretariat on the classification of Polyisobutylene (PIB), following the recent incidents on the south coast. Investigations are ongoing and once the reasons for the incidents are established, we will if appropriate formally approach the IMO to review the carriage requirements for polyisobutylene.

Roads: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the potential benefits of an improved road network for small businesses in (a) the West Midlands, (b) Coventry and (c) Coventry South constituency.

Norman Baker: While no specific assessment has been made of the potential benefits of an improved road network for small businesses in (a) the West Midlands, (b) Coventry and (c) Coventry South, the Department for Transport is investing in the West Midlands road network to support economic growth and which will see benefits to business, including those small and medium sized enterprises.
	Highway schemes on the strategic and local road network which the Department is helping to fund include schemes to tackle pinch points, major improvement schemes and smaller schemes, as well as providing funding for highways maintenance.

Shipping

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to the recent conclusions of the European Commission’s Task Force on Maritime Employment and Competitiveness; and if he has discussed these conclusions with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Stephen Hammond: There are a number of conclusions and recommendations from the European Commission’s Task Force on Maritime Employment and Competitiveness and the UK is currently reviewing or working towards a number of these.
	I have not discussed the conclusions with the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable).

Shipping: Conditions of Employment

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that European Union directives on (a) collective redundancies and (b) transfer of undertakings are applied to seafarers.

Stephen Hammond: The UK does not apply any exemptions to seafarers in its transposition of either directive.

Shipping: Conditions of Employment

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that European Union directives on (a) protection of employees in the event of employer insolvency, (b) the European Works Council and (c) informing and consulting employees are applied to seafarers.

Stephen Hammond: The Insolvency Guarantee Regulations transposes Directive 2008/94/EC and is applicable to all employees but does not cover share fishermen who being self employed are outside the scope.
	The UK applies a partial exemption on seafarers in regard to the European Works Council Directive (EU Directive 2009/38/EC) in UK legislation. They currently do not have the right to stand or act as an employees' representative but they can apply to be represented by a European Works Council (EWC)
	Directive 2002/14/EC on Information and Consultation of Employees is transposed into British law by the Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations 2004 and into law in Northern Ireland through the Information and Consultation of Employees Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005.
	Both have partial exemptions to seafarers but statutory consultation of workers does take place under health and safety legislation. Rather than workplace safety committees, the requirement is to elect representatives and have committees on individual ships.
	The UK will be reviewing all current full and partial exemptions where applicable in regard to draft EU legislation to remove such exemptions.

Shipping: Conditions of Employment

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to the recent conclusions of the European Commission's Task Force on Maritime Employment and Competitiveness; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Hammond: There are a number of conclusions and recommendations from the European Commission's Task Force on Maritime Employment and Competitiveness and the UK is currently working on these.

Shipping: EU Law

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department have had with representatives of the shipping industry regarding the application of European Union legislation to seafarers.

Stephen Hammond: I have regular meetings with the shipping industry where the application of European legislation will be on the agenda. Departmental officials meet regularly with the shipping industry where the application of European legislation to seafarers with be the specific issue or part of a wider agenda.

Transport: Finance

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the first transport project funded by the single local growth fund to be delivered.

Norman Baker: Decisions on which projects to support are being devolved to local enterprise partnerships, supported by Local Transport Bodies. It is likely, however, that some transport projects supported through the Single Local Growth Fund will be delivered during 2015/16—the first year of the fund's existence.

Transport: Finance

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the £2 billion allocated to the single local growth fund will be used to administer the bidding process.

Norman Baker: None of the £2 billion funding allocated to the Single Local Growth Fund in 2015-16 is intended for the Government's costs of administering the bidding process. Local enterprise partnerships have been funded separately to develop their economic strategy which will form the basis of allocations from the Single Local Growth Fund.

Transport: Finance

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what role (a) local authorities and (b) transport authorities will play in deciding which bids to the single local growth fund are successful.

Norman Baker: Local authorities are members of local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) and will play an important role in drawing up the LEP strategic economic plan that forms the basis for negotiating a growth deal with Government which includes allocation of single local growth funding.

SCOTLAND

Billing

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the average cost to his Department was of processing the payment of an invoice in the latest period for which figures are available; and what proportion of invoices settled in that period his Department paid (a) electronically and (b) by cheque.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office does not maintain a central record of what the average cost to the Department was of processing the payment of an invoice. In May 2013, the Scotland Office paid 96.4% of invoices within five days, of which, 97.6% were paid electronically and 2.4% by cheque.

MITIE Group

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spends on contracts with MITIE; and how much was spent on contracts with MITIE in each year since 2008.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office does not have any direct contracts with MITIE. Other than minor or bespoke purchases, the Scotland Office does not undertake direct procurement or tendering projects. It utilises existing service contracts between suppliers and the Scottish Government or the Ministry of Justice.
	The Scotland Office spend with MITIE through such service contracts since 2008 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Spend (£) 
			 2008-09 0 
			 2009-10 0 
			 2010-11 14,697 
			 2011-12 30,882 
			 2012-13 87,619

Press: Subscriptions

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on newspapers, periodicals and trade publications in the last 12 months.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office spent £5,709.45 on newspapers, periodicals and trade publications in the last 12 months.

Serco

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department currently spends on contracts with Serco; and how much was spent in each year since 2008.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office does not have any direct contracts with Serco. Other than minor or bespoke purchases, the Scotland Office does not undertake direct procurement or tendering projects. It utilises existing service contracts between suppliers and the Scottish Government or the Ministry of Justice.
	The Scotland Office spend with Serco through such service contracts since 2008 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Spend (£) 
			 2008-09 23,352 
			 2009-10 24,822 
			 2010-11 4,075 
			 2011-12 0 
			 2012-13 0

Sick Leave

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many days on average staff of his Department in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in each of the last 12 months.

David Mundell: For the calendar year 2012, the average number of days lost per person was 0.7 days.
	As Scotland Office staff numbers are small, providing a breakdown by grade could lead to the identification of an individual.

Social Networking

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all Twitter accounts for which officials of his Department (a) have had and (b) currently have responsibility for (i) monitoring and (ii) updating.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office has one Twitter account—@scotlandoffice.

Staff

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on (a) recruitment agency fees, (b) outplacement agency fees for displaced or redundant staff and (c) staff training in each of the last 12 months.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office spend on recruitment agency fees and staff training is set out in the following table. No costs were incurred on outplacement agency fees for displaced or redundant staff.
	
		
			 £ 
			  Agency fees Training 
			 2012   
			 June 2,124 789 
			 July 11,883 246 
			 August 4,415 2,241 
			 September 2,543 455 
			 October 4,939 2,252 
			 November 4,047 0 
			 December 4,878 1,121 
			    
			 2013   
			 January 4,937 25 
			 February 3,978 1,081 
			 March 7,058 703 
			 April 4,200 1,025 
			 May 5,974 650

Vacancies

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what his Department's vacancy rate was in 2012-13; and what vacancy rate has been assumed for 2013-14.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office keeps its staffing complement under constant review to ensure that the most efficient use is made of public resources.
	The staff vacancy rate for 2012-13 was 5.8 posts. We have assumed a rate of 2.5% of annual salary costs for 2013-14.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Spending Review

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the potential effect on local authority services of the decisions announced in the spending review 2013.

Brandon Lewis: The Spending Round announcement is a fair deal for councils and council tax payers. We are putting in place powerful incentives to enable local government to transform local services—including £3.8 billion to drive the integration of health and social care—and help pay down Labour's deficit.

Families in Temporary Accommodation

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent estimate he has made of the number of families with children living in temporary accommodation.

Mark Prisk: On 31 April this year there were 40,450 families with children in temporary accommodation. Under the last Government the number reached 74,180.

Local Plans

Chris White: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to ensure that local plans reflect public consultation.

Nicholas Boles: Extensive public consultation is an essential part of plan-making. The Localism Act strengthened the power of elected councillors to determine where and how development should take place in their area.

Rent Arrears

Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the level of rent arrears owed to local authorities and registered social landlords following the introduction of the under-occupancy penalty.

Mark Prisk: The Government is closely monitoring the situation and has commissioned an independent evaluation. We expect the interim findings to be published early next year.

Troubled Families Programme

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent representations he has received about the troubled families programme.

Eric Pickles: I frequently receive positive feedback from councils across the country on the work of the Troubled Families programme. I have recently visited Wandsworth and Leicestershire to see for myself the fantastic progress being made to help families turn their lives around.

Troubled Families Programme

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many families have been helped through the Troubled Families programme involving children with (a) truanting problems and (b) mental health problems.

Brandon Lewis: My Department does not currently hold information specifically relating to families helped through the Troubled Families programme involving children with (a)truanting problems and (b) mental health problems.
	There are over 35,000 families currently being worked with in the Government's Troubled Families programme.
	Persistent unauthorised absence is one of the programme's national eligibility criteria; mental health problems are not. Local areas can, however, also use locally determined criteria to help them identify families causing high costs to the public purse and, anecdotally, we understand that some local authorities have used this local discretion to include families where mental health problems are an issue.
	Further information on these issues will be gathered through our independent national evaluation and be made available in due course. Further information on the evaluation can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/news/study-to-assess-impact-of-troubled-families-work

Community Rights

Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to promote the take-up of the new community rights in the Localism Act 2011.

Don Foster: Community rights are being promoted through local, national, social and consumer media, ministerial visits, conferences and workshops, and through our external partners like Locality, CAMRA and Supporters Direct. I am also discussing a cross-government campaign combining community rights and volunteering with No. 10 and the Cabinet Office.

Devolution

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will place in the Library any concordats which his Department or the public bodies for which he is responsible have with the devolved administrations.

Brandon Lewis: The Memorandum of Understanding and Supplementary Agreements, agreed in September 2012, set out principles which underlie the relationship between the UK Government and the devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. These documents are available in the Library of the House.
	The Department for Communities and Local Government does not have current concordats with counterparts in the devolved Administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. However, officials are currently in the process of drawing up a concordat with the devolved Administration of Wales, reflecting a greater degree of overlap on policy and legislation under the devolved settlement than the other constituent parts of the United Kingdom.
	We will check whether public bodies have concordats with the devolved Administrations and these, or links to them, will be placed in the Library of the House in due course

Empty Property: Non-domestic Rates

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has any plans to review the policy of not charging business rates on empty listed commercial buildings.

Brandon Lewis: Listed buildings are exempt from empty property rates. The Government has no plans to change this position.
	More generally, the Government announced in the autumn statement, 5 December 2012, Official Report, columns 871-82, that, subject to consultation, it will exempt all newly built commercial property completed between 1 October 2013 and 30 September 2016 from empty property rates for the first 18 months, up to the state aids limits. The consultation 'Business Rates—New Build Empty Property Technical Consultation', published on 12 June 2013, sets out the Government's proposals for the delivery of that policy and seeks consultees' views upon them.

Fire Services

Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to ensure that there are enough suitable redeployment roles for fire and rescue service workers who no longer meet the physical standards for operational roles.

Brandon Lewis: Both fitness standards and the employment and redeployment of fire and rescue workers are operational matters for individual fire and rescue authorities as employers.

Fire Services

Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when his Department plans to publish its response to the December 2012 report entitled Normal Pension Age For Firefighters: A review for the Firefighters' Pension Committee.

Brandon Lewis: The Normal Pension Age for Firefighters report contains a number of recommendations which I am currently considering carefully. The Government's response will be published shortly.

Fire Services

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will review the lessons of the fire at Smethwick on 1-2 July 2013 for the adequacy of current and planned levels of fire and rescue resources nationally.

Brandon Lewis: holding answer 5 July 2013
	Firefighters did an excellent job dealing with the Smethwick fire and the cause will be thoroughly investigated by West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority. All fires, no matter the size, can have a serious impact, but fire and rescue authorities are resourced to deal with a wide range of emergencies. The Chief Fire Officer of the West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service, was satisfied that he had enough resources at his disposal to stop the fire spreading to adjacent buildings and deal effectively with the fire.
	There are statutory requirements under the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 for neighbouring fire and rescue authorities to enter into agreements to provide mutual assistance for major incidents such as the Smethwick fire. These worked well at this blaze and should continue to do so in future.

Non-domestic Rates

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effect of business rates on high street retailers.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 1 July 2013
	The business rates system in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Government.
	We keep all taxes under review in England and have already taken action on business rates, while recognising the need to tackle the deficit left by the last Administration.
	We have made it easier for small firms to get the small business rate relief to which they are entitled. Our reforms in the Localism Act 2011 ensure all eligible ratepayers can automatically receive the small business multiplier, and we have removed the legal red tape requiring ratepayers to fill in significant paperwork to claim the relief. The last Administration failed to support simplification to help small firms when they were in office (q.v. 6 March 2009, Official Report, columns 1141-2).
	In turn, we have also doubled small business rate relief scheme, to help half a million small firms. From October 2010 to April 2014, small firms are receiving 100% rate relief (i.e. pay no business rates at all) on properties up to £6,000 rateable value, and a tapered rate relief from £6,000 to £12,000. An estimated 330,000 small firms are paying no rates at all.
	The Localism Act also gives councils the power to introduce local discounts to business rates. Under the new system of local retention of business rates introduced by the Local Government Finance Act 2012, central Government now funds 50% of the cost of any local discount granted. We would encourage local authorities to make creative and constructive use of these new powers.
	There has been no real terms increase in overall business rates bills, as the multiplier is linked to inflation.

Sky Lanterns

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ban the use of Chinese lanterns.

Brandon Lewis: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by the Under-Secretary of State for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs, the hon. Member for East Dunbartonshire (Jo Swinson), on 4 July 2013, Official Report, column 775W.
	We must await the outcome of the investigation into the cause of the fire on 30 June at the J&A Young recycling plant, Smethwick, Birmingham—then consider whether action is necessary. We should guard against knee-jerk reactions without knowing all the facts.

Sky Lanterns

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what consideration he has given to banning Chinese lanterns; and what assessment his Department has made of whether Chinese lanterns are a safety hazard.

Brandon Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State for Employment Relations and Consumer Affairs, the hon. Member for East Dunbartonshire (Jo Swinson), on 4 July 2013, Official Report, column 775W.
	We must await the outcome of the investigation into the cause of the fire on 30 June at the J&A Young recycling plant, Smethwick, Birmingham—then consider whether action is necessary. We should guard against knee-jerk reactions without knowing all the facts.
	In the last four years, English fire and rescue services have reported only one incident caused by a sky lantern that resulted in significant damage to an outbuilding. In 2012-13, English fire and rescue services attended over 100,000 outdoor fire incidents (grassland/woodland etc), of which sky lanterns were potentially responsible for around 200 fires (0.2% of all outdoor fires), none of which caused substantial damage.

Sleeping Rough

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent estimate he has made of the number of people sleeping rough in (a) Barnsley Central constituency, (b) South Yorkshire, (c) England and (d) the UK.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 5 July 2013
	The most recent numbers of people counted or estimated as sleeping rough in local authority areas in England relate to autumn 2012, when each local authority produced figures for a single night between 1 October and 30 November. These are available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rough-sleeping-in-england-autumn-2012
	The closest available information for the areas requested is given in the following table:
	
		
			  Estimated/counted number of rough sleepers, Autumn 2012 
			 Barnsley Council 5 
			 South Yorkshire(1) 22 
			 England 2,309 
			 (1) Comprises Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Source: DCLG rough sleeping form 
		
	
	The Barnsley Central constituency falls wholly within the area of Barnsley council. The area of Barnsley council also includes parts of the parts of Penistone and Stocksbridge, Wentworth and Dearne, and Barnsley East constituencies.
	Figures for the rest of the United Kingdom are a matter for each devolved Administration, although web-links to relevant information for Scotland and Wales are given on page 9 of the statistical release available at the web-link above.
	Figures for autumn 2013 are due to be published in February 2014.
	The Government is providing £470 million to local authorities and the voluntary sector to tackle and prevent homelessness including rough sleeping.

Social Rented Housing: Barnsley

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of the social housing in Barnsley East constituency is currently unoccupied.

Mark Prisk: Data for Barnsley East constituency are not collected centrally. The constituency falls within the local authority district of Barnsley.
	Data on dwelling stock by tenure and district can be found in live table 100 at the following link. Taken together, the local authority and private registered provider tenures comprise the social housing dwelling stock.
	https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants
	Data on vacant dwellings by tenure and district can be found in live table 615 at the same link. This table brings together figures on vacant dwellings in England drawn from several separately published sources.
	A comparison of the latest available figures shows the proportion of the social housing dwelling stock that is vacant in Barnsley as at 1 April 2012 and can be seen in the following table.
	I also refer the hon. Member to the answer of 11 December 2012, Official Report,House of Lords, column WA219. on the steps this Government has taken to help get empty homes back into use.
	
		
			 Table 1. Vacant dwellings as a percentage of dwelling stock, social housing tenures, Barnsley local authority district, 1 April 2012 
			  Local authority Private registered provider(1, 2) Total social housing 
			 Vacant dwellings 146 35 181 
			 Dwelling stock 19,100 3,220 22,320 
			 Vacant dwellings as a percentage of dwelling stock 0.76 1.09 0.81 
			 (1 )Private registered providers refer to private registered providers of social housing in England that are registered with the social housing regulator (Homes and Community Agency's Regulation Committee). This term excludes local authority registered providers. (2 )The figures in this table relate only to general needs self contained social rent housing. Supported housing and/or housing for older people rental stock, which represents just under 20% of all private registered provider rental stock in 2010, is excluded. This is because the data return, collects most information by private registered provider rather than geographic area. Only a subset of information is broken down by geographic area and this includes the number of vacant units of general needs self-contained stock but not the number of vacant units of supported housing or housing for older people. A small number of bed spaces owned by small private registered providers may also be included. Source: Department for Communities and Local Government, Homes and Communities Agency.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Burma

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance her Department provides to communities impoverished by land confiscation in Burma.

Alan Duncan: DFID is working with civil society organisations to help establish procedures which will grant individuals access to legal aid over land disputes. DFID is also working through the Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund with United Nations Habitat to pilot mapping technology, linked to the registration and digitisation of land ownership records, and to help design a land reform agenda. This agenda will include rules on who can use different types of land, for how long and under what conditions, along with clarity on how the rules will be applied and monitored.

Burma

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance the Government provides to ethnic Rohingya from Burma who have fled to Bangladesh.

Alan Duncan: DFID provides core contributions to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which manages the official camps for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, as well as to other organisations that provide support including the European Commission. This support includes providing shelter, access to water and sanitation, vocational training and food supplies to malnourished refugees. We have raised with the Government of Bangladesh the plight of the Rohingyas and their status.

Palestinians

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid her Department contributes annually to (a) Palestinian Authority Television (PATV) and (b) the PATV programme, For You.

Alan Duncan: UK aid does not fund Palestine TV programming.
	Some civil servants working for Palestine TV may be eligible beneficiaries for our direct financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority (PA). The list of approved recipients is subject to vetting processes and does not include PA employees who are on international and ad-hoc sanctions lists.

Social Networking

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list all Twitter accounts for which officials of her Department (a) have had and (b) currently have responsibility for (i) monitoring and (ii) updating.

Justine Greening: DFID is currently responsible for monitoring and updating the following corporate Twitter accounts: @DFID_UK, @DFID_Press, @DFlDNepal, @DFIDEthiopia, @DFID_PSD, @DFID_Growth, @DFID_research. The @sudanunit Twitter account is jointly managed with the Foreign Office. Mark Lowcock, DFID’s permanent secretary, tweets from @DFID_Mark and Michael Anderson, DFID’s director-general for policy and global issues, tweets from @DFIDMichael.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Devolution

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library any concordats which his Department or the public bodies for which he is responsible have with the devolved Administrations.

David Lidington: The Memorandum of Understanding and Supplementary Agreements, agreed last September, set out principles which underlie the relationship between the UK Government and the devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. These documents are available in the Library. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not have any concordats with the devolved Administrations of Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, nor does any of the public bodies for which it is responsible.
	The British Council, a non-departmental public body for which the FCO is responsible, does however have a concordat with the National Assembly for Wales to support the working relationship between the National Assembly and the British Council in Wales. A copy of this will be placed in the Library.

Israel

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions he had with the Israeli Attorney-General in June 2013 on implementing measures to require audio-visual recordings of all interrogations of Palestinian children by the Israeli military and to make these available to the children's lawyers;
	(2)  what discussions he had with the Israeli Attorney-General on putting an end to the Israeli military practice of arresting Palestinian children by night;
	(3)  what recent discussions he had with the Israeli Attorney-General on ending the Israeli military practice of shackling Palestinian children;
	(4)  what recent discussions he had with the Israeli Attorney-General on ending the practice of keeping Palestinian children in solitary confinement while in Israeli military custody;
	(5)  what recent discussions he had with the Israeli Attorney-General on ending the practice of transferring Palestinian children from the West Bank to military custody in Israel.

Alistair Burt: On 20 June, I met with Israeli Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He was accompanied by a senior delegation, including Deputy Attorney-General Shai Nitzan and the Israeli Ambassador to London. We discussed a range of issues including the treatment of children in detention, the use of live fire in the Gaza buffer zone and in dealing with non-violent protests and demolition of Palestinian property.
	On the question of child detainees we discussed the recommendations in Baroness Scotland's report. I welcomed steps that Israel has taken of late to reduce the gap between provisions for Israeli and Palestinian children including: raising the age of majority to 18; reducing the time period by which an arrested minor must be brought before a judge formalising the right of a parent/guardian to be present in court; and introducing a special court for minors.
	We also discussed the need for further progress. In particular, building on the report's recommendations, we believe it is important to ensure: systematic use of audio-visual recording when questioning children; an end to solitary confinement for children; and notification of arrest in Arabic to parents/guardians so that they can support children in the legal process. My officials continue to discuss these points with the Israeli authorities.

Israel

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of nuclear warheads possessed by Israel; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: We have regular discussions with the Government of Israel on a wide range of nuclear-related issues. Israel has not declared a nuclear weapons programme. We encourage Israel to sign up to the non-proliferation treaty and call on them to agree a Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Israel

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of (a) British citizens and (b) people categorised for purposes of evacuation as entitled persons living in Israel.

Alistair Burt: All of our diplomatic missions across the world hold contingency plans in case of emergencies. We recommend that British nationals stay up to date with our Travel Advice. The support we provide for British nationals is outlined in our 'support for British nationals abroad—a guide', which is available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website.
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-for-british-nationals-abroad-a-guide
	As part of their contingency planning all posts make an assessment of the numbers of British nationals in country based on a range of sources, such as information from the local Interior and Tourist Ministries and other publically available data. Around 320,000 British nationals travel to Israel each year and approximately 40,000 British nationals live and work there. Further figures can be found on the website of Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics:
	http://www1.cbs.gov.il/reader/?MIval=cw_usr_view_ SHTML&ID=432
	The FCO no longer asks British nationals travelling overseas to register with us on a 'just in case' basis. In the event of a crisis British nationals will still be able to log their details with the FCO and the FCO crisis hotline can be used by people to tell us that they need our help.

Occupied Territories

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2013, Official Report, columns 488-9W, on Occupied Territories, what information his Department holds on how many occasions Israel has provided disaggregated statistics to the OECD for areas Israel occupied since 1967; and on how many occasions the OECD has requested such disaggregated data.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office holds no information on how many occasions Israel has provided disaggregated statistics to the OECD for areas Israel occupied since 1967. How many occasions the OECD has requested such data is a question for the OECD.

Occupied Territories

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 17 June 2013, Official Report, columns 488-9W, on Occupied Territories; what assessment he has made of whether the Government's acceptance of Israeli statistics to the OECD, which do not distinguish between Israel and areas occupied since 1967, is compliant with the UK's international law obligations, including the duty of non-recognition.

Alistair Burt: This is a matter for the OECD—there is no process by which the British Government formally accepts OECD statistics. We have repeatedly condemned Israel's announcements to expand settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem. As well as being illegal under international law, settlements undermine the possibility of a two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and those working for a sustainable peace.

Palestinians

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to his Palestinian counterpart about Palestinian Authority Television broadcasting songs identifying Israeli cities as Palestinian.

Alistair Burt: Recent reports have concluded that both parties to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict need to do more to promote a positive portrayal of each other, reflecting the principles of co-existence, tolerance, justice and human dignity. The UK regularly condemns incitement and registers our concerns with both sides.
	While we have raised previous concerns with Palestinian TV, we have not raised this specific allegation. Palestine TV is not an official station of the Palestinian Authority (PA). But it is subject to official directives that make clear that it must avoid any programme content that endorses or propagates violence. We do not believe that the reports in question bring into question the PA's commitment to a two state solution and its often repeated recognition of the State of Israel.

Palestinians

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Palestinian Authority on its use of maps depicting a State of Palestine replacing Israel.

Alistair Burt: Our officials raise instances of incitement with both the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Israel whenever we feel this appropriate. There is a profound need for both the Israeli and Palestinian sides to do more to promote a positive portrayal of each other, reflecting the principles of co-existence, tolerance, justice and human dignity. We do not believe that the reports in question bring into question the PA's commitment to a two state solution and its often repeated recognition of the State of Israel.

Religious Freedom

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will appoint an official of his Department of equivalent seniority to an ambassador to have lead responsibility for freedom of religion and belief.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) already has an ambassadorial-level official who is responsible for ensuring the mainstreaming of freedom of religion or belief, along with all the FCO's human rights priorities, across the FCO. The FCO Minister responsible for freedom of religion or belief is the Senior Minister of State, my noble Friend the right hon. Baroness Warsi; she has made this portfolio a personal priority.

Religious Freedom

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to assess the effect of his Department's policies on promoting freedom of religion and belief.

David Lidington: Foreign and Commonwealth Office policy is to review regularly the work we do, including on freedom of religion of belief. At the UN later this year we plan to review the effectiveness of combined international efforts and assess how we can further promote the freedom of religion or belief.

Vending Machines

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many vending machines in his Department's premises contain snack foods that are high in calories and low in nutritional value.

David Lidington: There are a total of three vending machines in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) premises in the UK estate. To provide information for the FCO's overseas network would incur disproportionate cost. The vending machines sell a range of snacks and drinks which reflect consumer choice. Full Guideline Daily Amounts (GDA) information is displayed on the packaging of each item.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Bankruptcy

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses were declared bankrupt in (a) York, (b) Yorkshire and the Humber and (c) England in each year since 2008-09.

Jo Swinson: Official statistics covering corporate insolvencies for England and Wales are not currently available at sub-national level. Individual insolvency statistics are available down to the level of Westminster parliamentary constituencies.
	Quarterly totals for corporate insolvencies in England and Wales are presented in the Quarterly Insolvency Statistics, the latest publication of which can be found on the Insolvency Service website here:
	http://www.insolvencydirect.bis.gov.uk/otherinformation/statistics/insolvency-statistics.htm
	Regional individual insolvency statistics, annually from 2000 to 2011, are available down to local authority level here:
	http://www.insolvencydirect.bis.gov.uk/otherinformation/statistics/regionalstatisticsmenu.htm
	and an update to these statistics, including data for 2012, will be published 12 July 2013 on the Insolvency Service website.
	The statistics down to Westminster parliamentary constituency level have been placed with the House of Commons Library and will be updated when population data for 2012 are available.

Beekeeping: Training

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will discuss with agricultural colleges steps to encourage the provision of courses for bee-keepers at those colleges.

David Heath: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
	Skills are a devolved matter. The Government's reforms in England are giving colleges the freedom and flexibility to create a dynamic skills system where learners, businesses and others can shape provision to their needs. As part of a demand-led skills system, Lantra, the Sector Skills Council and Awarding Organisation for land-based industries, has developed a Level 1 Award in Introduction to Beekeeping (QCF) with the British Beekeepers' Association. This qualification was approved by Ofqual in July 2011. Lantra is encouraging and supporting learning providers to deliver this regulated qualification for those entering the industry. A number of learning providers also run short, unaccredited, introductory courses in beekeeping.
	The Healthy Bees Plan is a 10-year plan launched in 2009 to protect and improve the health of honey bees in England and Wales. A key objective of the plan is to improve beekeeper husbandry skills. DEFRA is working in partnership with bee stakeholders to deliver this through a coordinated training and education programme. Some funds are available through the Plan for stakeholders to develop and deliver education initiatives. These include City & Guilds 7303 train the trainer course, new training materials and the Bee Farmers' Association's apprenticeship scheme. Applications have been taken on a case-by-case basis, assessed by the Bee Health Advisory Forum and measured against their potential to deliver on key performance indicators of the plan.

Business: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses in York received Enterprise Finance Guarantee loans from the Government between (a) May 2011 and May 2012 and (b) between May 2012 and May 2013; and what the total monetary value of the loans guaranteed was in each case.

Michael Fallon: Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) loans are provided by participating banks with the support of a Government guarantee.
	For the period May 2011 to May 2012, 12 businesses in York were offered EFG loans with a total value of £2.6 million. 10 loans were drawn down with a total value of £2.6 million.
	For the period May 2012 and May 2013, 19 businesses in York were offered EFG loans with a total value of £1.8 million. 17 loans were drawn down with a total value of £1.4 million.
	The number of EFG loans provided to businesses with the support of a Government Guarantee.
	The number of Enterprise Finance Guarantee loans drawn in York between May 2011 and April 2012 was10 with a value of £2.6 million. Between May 2012 and April 2013 17 loans were drawn with a value of £1.4 million.

Companies House

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the average (a) time taken to open the post upon receipt of a letter and (b) time to process and action a letter for Companies House was in each of the last eight quarters; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: Due to large volume Companies House measures its post by weight; it receives approximately 420 kilos of mail a day (a figure which is declining as more documents are filed electronically) made up of letters and statutory documents; 95% of this is opened on the same day. The chief executive has a public target of no more than 10 working days to respond to letters, a target which has been consistently met. Companies House's public target summary can be found on its website at:
	http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk/about/publicTargets .shtml
	Typically, Companies House responds to a letter within five working days and an e-mail within 48 hours. If a letter relates to an appeal against a late filing penalty it may take longer, depending on the complexity of the appeal. Most written communication from Companies House's customers is now sent by e-mail rather than through the post.
	All of these targets have been the same for each of the last eight quarters.

Companies: Annual Reports

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills who the members are of groups established by the Financial Reporting Council to consult on assisting in developing revised guidance on narrative reporting.

Jo Swinson: The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is the UK regulator, independent from the Government, responsible for promoting Corporate Governance and Reporting to foster investment.
	We (BIS) were invited to be a member of the advisory panel formed by the FRC to support the development of its forthcoming guidance. The panel consisted of representatives from the investor community, business, accountants, auditors and those interested in narrative reporting.

Companies: Annual Reports

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will publish a list of meetings held by (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department in the last 12 months on the Government's reforms to narrative reporting.

Jo Swinson: Information regarding BIS Ministers' meetings with external organisations are published quarterly on the gov.uk internet site and details are available via the following link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-innovation-skills/series/bis-quarterly-publications-april-to-june-2012
	Detailed information on officials' meetings held to discuss reforms to narrative reporting could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

Companies: Annual Reports

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions his Department has held with the Financial Reporting Council on civil society representation in the development of the Council's revised guidance on narrative reporting.

Jo Swinson: In accordance with its procedures the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) will publish an exposure draft of the proposed guidance this summer. The exposure draft will be open for comment for a three month period of consultation in order to provide all stakeholders, including civil society, with an opportunity to comment. The FRC will then consider the comments received in developing the revised (final) guidance.
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has held no recent discussions with the FRC on civil society representation.

Companies: Annual Reports

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions his Department has held with the Financial Reporting Council on promoting high standards of environmental and social reporting through its (a) forthcoming guidance and (b) enforcement activity.

Jo Swinson: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) continues to work closely with the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) to ensure high standards of environmental and social reporting. This includes through regular discussions as part of the FRC's advisory panel drafting the guidance. We will continue working with the FRC to ensure that the forthcoming guidance helps companies to prepare high quality reports that address the information needs of all users.
	The FRC is an independent regulator. BIS has held no specific discussions about enforcement activity on environmental and social reporting.

Companies: Annual Reports

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of whether the Financial Reporting Review Panel's (a) resources and (b) expertise are sufficient to fulfil the Government's commitment to ensure that directors' social and environmental duties have to be covered in company reporting.

Jo Swinson: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) 2011 consultation on ‘The Future of Narrative Reporting’ sought views on the profile and working practices of the Financial Reporting Review Panel, now renamed the Corporate Reporting review. The majority of the respondents agreed that there was no need to change its remit, but that it would be helpful to enhance its profile and working practices. BIS shared these comments with the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) for its consideration.
	There have been no specific discussions about additional resources.

Construction: Industry

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to Construction 2025 Industrial Strategy: government and industry in partnership, published on 2 July 2013, what additional support he plans to provide to businesses to help exploit the export potential of digital and building information modelling capabilities.

Michael Fallon: The Government is working in partnership with the private sector to deliver a world leading Building Information Modelling (BIM) strategy. The implementation of this strategy is being led by the BIM Task Group and is jointly resourced by Government and industry (led by the Construction Industry Council) with outreach “BIM 4” groups providing local access to both regional and specialist committees. The BIM Task Group is also working closely with countries across the EU with a view to create a harmonised approach to BIM which should assist UK exporters. UK Trade and Investment is also involved and sees BIM as a key component in promoting UK built environment capability overseas.
	Full details of the strategy, standards and lessons learnt are all available at:
	www.bimtaskgroup.org

Construction: Industry

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to Construction 2025 Industrial Strategy: government and industry in partnership, published on 2 July 2013, how much resource he plans to provide from UK Export Finance Services to major construction firms for the purposes of exporting.

Michael Fallon: UK Export Finance (UKEF) supports companies in all sectors, including construction. In recent years Carillion, Mivan, and International Hospital Group have all benefitted from its services. UKEF deploys resources flexibly in line with client demand. UKEF is actively participating in UK Trade and Investment's high value opportunity programme to identify opportunities for UK companies in all sectors including construction.

Construction: Industry

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to Construction 2025 Industrial Strategy: government and industry in partnership, published on 2 July 2013, what his expected timescale is for the development of a construction supply chain payment charter.

Michael Fallon: It is the intention to get the construction fair payment charter in place before the end of the year.

Construction: Industry

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills with reference to Construction 2025 Industrial Strategy: government and industry in partnership, published on 2 July 2013, what protocols and standards he plans to bring forward regarding building information modelling.

Michael Fallon: The Building Information Modelling (BIM) Task Group is responsible for delivering the UK BIM strategy:
	www.bimtaskgroup.org/reports/
	This documents the specifics of the ‘Level 2’ plan and the associated British Standard and PAS documents (specifically PAS1192:2:2013). A suite of guidance documentation aimed at industry and clients is already published on the website which includes a link to the ‘BIM Protocol’:
	www.bimtaskgroup.org/bim-protocol/
	Work continues on other new documentation and the website has a ‘Task Group Labs’ section where industry is asked to assist the task group in the development of new ‘standards’ in light of their own experiences.

Devolution

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will place in the Library any concordats which his Department or the public bodies for which he is responsible have with the devolved Administrations.

Jo Swinson: The Memorandum of Understanding and Supplementary Agreements, agreed in September 2012, set out principles which underlie the relationship between the UK Government and the devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. These documents are available in the Library.
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has agreed bilateral concordats for handling of procedural, practical or policy matters with counterparts in the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Copies, or links of these documents will be placed in the Library.
	We will be asking public bodies with a direct link to the Department whether they have concordats with the devolved Administrations and these, or links to them, will be placed in the Libraries of the House in due course.

Financial Services

Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what steps his Department has taken to encourage the institutional investment industry to adopt voluntary codes on public disclosure of voting practices;
	(2)  what consideration he has given to implementation of the Government’s reserve power in section 1277 of the Companies Act 2006 to require institutional investors publicly to disclose their voting records.

Jo Swinson: The Government endorses and promotes the Stewardship Code which has been published since 2010 by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC). For instance, in responding to the Kay Review of Equity Markets in November 2012, the Government endorsed the FRC’s revised 2012 edition of the code, welcoming in particular the stronger emphasis given to shareholder engagement on matters of company strategy, which delivered against one of Professor Kay’s recommendations.
	The Stewardship Code sets out good practice for institutional investors on the monitoring of, and engagement with, the companies in which they invest. The principles of the Stewardship Code make clear, among other things that institutional investors should have a clear policy on voting and disclosure of voting activity, and report periodically on their stewardship and voting activities.
	The FRC expects institutional investors to disclose on their websites how they have applied the code, on a ‘comply or explain’ basis. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) specifically requires UK authorised asset managers to produce a statement of commitment to the Stewardship Code or to explain why it is not appropriate to their business model.
	Evidence shows that, since the introduction of the code in 2010, institutional investors are now more transparent about how they engage with companies, and both vote more and disclose this more.
	The Government is prepared to use its reserve power to mandate voting disclosure if necessary. We will continue to monitor disclosure levels and will consider further action if these do not continue to improve. The Government’s view is that voting is just one part of good stewardship by institutional investors. Indeed effective engagement and meaningful dialogue between shareholders and companies may mean that shareholders place less emphasis on voting against a company to effect change.

Interest Rate Swap Transactions

Guto Bebb: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he has had any discussions with senior management of (a) Barclays Bank, (b) RBS Group, (c) HSBC Banking Group and (d) Lloyds Banking Group on the progress that they have made in providing offers of redress to their own customers through the provisions of the Financial Conduct Authority redress scheme for businesses mis-sold interest rate swaps; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: The swift redress of customers affected by interest rate swap mis-selling is one of the issues raised frequently in the Department's discussions with these banks.

Manufacturing Industries

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made by the Advance Manufacturing Supply Chain initiative; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: Successful bids from Rounds 1 and 2 of the Government's £125 million Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative (AMSCI) are projected to create or safeguard over 17,500 jobs supported by £237 million of joint public and private sector investment.
	The investments will finance and strengthen 21 manufacturing supply chain projects across a wide range of manufacturing sectors.
	The autumn statement 2012 announcements included a further £120 million for AMSCI Rounds 3 and 4. This will support research and development, skills training, and capital investment to help UK supply chains achieve world-class standards and encourage major new suppliers to locate in the UK.
	The deadline for applications to Round 3 was 29 May with 26 bids submitted. In total 158 organisations are involved in these bids, including 99 SMEs.
	The deadline for applications to Round 4 is noon on 16 October.

Personal Care Services

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of nail bar businesses in the UK.

Michael Fallon: Government business statistics are not collected on a sufficiently detailed level to provide data on nail bars. Such businesses are classified within "hairdressing and other beauty treatments". There were almost 28,000 enterprises in this category in 2012.

Post Offices

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  which Government products and services have been (a) added to and (b) removed from the range available at post offices since May 2010;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the financial effect of changes to the range of Government products and services available at post offices; and what the effect on Post Office incomes of this change has been since May 2010;
	(3)  what the total income was from Government services for sub-post offices in each year since 2005.

Jo Swinson: The Post Office, with its network of over 11,500 branches, is well placed to become a provider of front office services, helping citizens interact with Government either face-to-face or online. The Post Office has recently won a number of contracts to provide services on behalf of Government, its agencies, and local authorities; and I am hopeful that the Post Office will be able to build on these successes to compete for further work.
	However, the precise information requested is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the chief executive officer of Post Office Ltd, to respond directly to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Rhyl

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 2 July 2013, Official Report, column 583W, on post offices: Rhyl, what plans he has to dispose of the Rhyl Crown Post Office building.

Jo Swinson: The Government do not have any role in the franchising proposals for Crown Post Office branches such as that for Rhyl. Any decision about the future of the Rhyl Crown Post Office building is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd.

Postal Services

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many (a) letters and (b) parcels were delivered by Royal Mail in each year for which data is available.

Michael Fallon: This data is an operational matter for Royal Mail.
	I have therefore asked the chief executive of Royal Mail, Moya Greene, to respond directly to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Royal Mail

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  how many (a) permanent workers, (b) temporary workers and (c) zero-hour contracts there were in the Royal Mail in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  what the average wage is of a Royal Mail employee;
	(3)  how many people have been employed by the Royal Mail in each (a) region, (b) county and (c) parliamentary constituency in each of the last 10 years.

Michael Fallon: Employment terms and staff contracts are operational matters which are the responsibility of Royal Mail.
	I have therefore asked the chief executive of Royal Mail, Moya Greene, to respond directly to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Royal Mail

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of Royal Mail employees' views on his proposed employee share scheme.

Michael Fallon: We are designing an employee share scheme that will honour the commitment made by Parliament in 2011 that 10% of Royal Mail shares should be reserved for employees.
	We are still considering the details, but it is very much the Government's intention that the offer will be attractive to employees, while balancing overall value for money for the Government and the interests of other stakeholders.

Royal Mail

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Government's proposed privatisation of Royal Mail on households in rural communities.

Michael Fallon: The Government is committed to securing the future of the universal postal service provided by Royal Mail, which is so important to our communities, society and the economy.
	Regardless of the nature of ownership, Royal Mail will still be the UK's designated universal service provider and will continue to provide deliveries to all UK addresses —rural and urban—on a six days a week basis.
	Parliament has guaranteed, through the Postal Services Act 2011, the continuation of collection and delivery of letters six days a week throughout the UK at uniform affordable prices. Only Parliament can change the level of our universal service.
	The steps we have taken so far to reform the regulatory framework and to support Royal Mail, coupled with securing access to private capital for the business, are the best way to safeguard the future of the universal service in the United Kingdom.

Royal Mail

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent meetings he has had with private sector companies to discuss investment and the potential privatisation of Royal Mail.

Michael Fallon: Neither I nor the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable) have had meetings with private companies about their investing in Royal Mail.

Royal Mail

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent meetings he has had with hedge funds and venture capitalist companies on the potential privatisation of Royal Mail.

Michael Fallon: Neither I nor the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable) have had meetings with hedge funds or venture capitalists about the privatisation of Royal Mail.

Shareholders: Voting Behaviour

Peter Aldous: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  if he will publish a list of meetings held by (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department over the last 12 months on Government policy on mandatory public disclosure of voting practices by institutional investors;
	(2)  what proportion of institutional investors publicly disclosed their voting records in the latest period for which figures are available; how many such disclosures were of (a) summary figures and (b) full breakdowns of voting practices on particular issues at particular companies;
	(3)  what comparative assessment his Department has conducted of the effects in (a) France, (b) the US and (c) other countries of policies on voting disclosure in jurisdictions in which institutional investors are obliged to publicly disclose their voting practices.

Jo Swinson: BIS Ministers have held no meetings specifically focused on mandatory public disclosure of voting practices by institutional investors. Information regarding BIS Ministers’ meetings with external organisations is published quarterly on the gov.uk website and is available via the following link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-innovation-skills/series/bis-quarterly-publications-april-to-june-2012
	Officials in the Department have discussed this policy option with a range of stakeholders representing the investment industry and UK companies, including in the context of developing the UK policy position on the EU Corporate Governance Action plan. Detailed information on officials’ meetings held to this issue could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Evidence shows that, since the introduction of the Financial Reporting Council’s Stewardship Code in 2010, institutional investors are now more transparent about how they engage with companies, and both vote more and disclose this more.
	The latest survey by the Investment Management Association(1) of compliance by institutional investors with the Stewardship Code shows that two-thirds of those surveyed now publicly disclose their voting records. More than two- thirds of those that do disclose their voting records, also provide a detailed breakdown of all voting decisions.
	Other similar surveys present a range of figures for the level of voting disclosure. For example the TUC Fund Manager Voting Survey (2012)(2) found that 93% of respondents made some information publicly available, with 68% of respondents making full disclosures of voting records (up from 65% the previous year and 45% in 2010).
	The Government is prepared to use its power to mandate voting disclosure if necessary, but we believe that non-legislative route is preferable. We will continue to monitor disclosure levels and will consider further action if disclosure levels do not continue to improve. The Government’s view is that voting is just one part of good stewardship by institutional investors. Indeed effective engagement and meaningful dialogue between shareholders and companies may mean that shareholders place less emphasis on voting against a company to effect change.
	No comprehensive assessment has been conducted of the impact of mandatory voting disclosure in other jurisdictions.
	(1) Investment Management Association, “Adherence to the FRC’s Stewardship Code at 30 September 2012”, published June 2013, available at:
	http://www.investmentuk.org/assets/files/surveys/20130612-stewardshipcode.pdf
	(2) “TUC Fund Manager Voting Survey 2012”, available at:
	http://www.tuc.org.uk/tucfiles/457.pdf

Shipping: Conditions of Employment

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department have had with representatives of the shipping industry on the application of European Union directives on (i) collective redundancies and (ii) transfer of undertakings to seafarers.

Jo Swinson: There have been no recent meetings between any Ministers or officials in my Department with representatives of the shipping industry on the application of either of these directives to seafarers.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

British Irish Council

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what his assessment is of the last meeting of the British Irish Council.

Nicholas Clegg: The recent British-Irish Council summit in Northern Ireland demonstrated the importance of the forum in furthering, promoting and developing jinks between member administrations.
	The Council held positive and valuable discussions on the benefits arising from Derry-Londonderry's selection as UK City of Culture; the economy; youth employment; and energy. Furthermore, the Council agreed to establish a new work sector on creative industries to share best practice and consider areas for collaboration.

Candidates: Disqualification

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will bring forward legislative proposals to prevent disqualified candidates appearing on a ballot paper.

Chloe Smith: The Government has no plans to amend the existing legislation which already requires candidates to declare they are not subject to a disqualification before their nomination can be accepted by a Returning Officer. If the Returning Officer is satisfied that a candidate's nomination documents are duly completed, the candidate's name will appear on the ballot paper unless the candidate withdraws their nomination before the deadline for doing so ahead of the relevant election.

Devolution

Margaret Curran: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library any concordats which his Department or the public bodies for which he is responsible have with the devolved administrations.

Chloe Smith: The Memorandum of Understanding and Supplementary Agreements, agreed in September 2012, set out principles which underlie the relationship between the UK Government and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. These documents are available in the Library.
	The Cabinet Office in addition has agreed bilateral concordats for handling of procedural, practical or policy matters with counterparts in the devolved Administrations of Scotland and Wales. Copies of the documents will be placed in the Library. The documents are also available at the following link:
	http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20080108045234/http:/cabinetoffice.gov.uk/publicationscheme/concordats.aspx

WORK AND PENSIONS

Conditions of Employment: Warrington

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people in (a) Warrington and (b) Warrington North constituency who are employed on zero hours contracts; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: Data on the number of people who are employed on zero hours contracts are not available.

Devolution

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library any concordats which his Department or the public bodies for which he is responsible have with the devolved administrations.

Mark Hoban: The Memorandum of Understanding and Supplementary Agreements, agreed in September 2012, set out principles which underlie the relationship between the UK Government and the devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. These documents are available in the Library.
	The Department for Work and Pensions in addition has agreed bilateral concordats for handling of procedural, practical or policy matters with counterparts in the devolved Administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Copies of the documents are available to access in the Library.
	Copies of concordats between the Department for Work and Pensions public bodies and counterparts in the devolved Administrations have also been placed in the Library catalogue. The Health and Safety Executive is the only Department for Work and Pensions public body to have concordats with the devolved Administrations; these are with the Scottish Government (then Scottish Executive) and the Welsh Government (then National Assembly for Wales).

Employment Schemes: Oxfordshire

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what support is available in Oxfordshire to help people with learning disabilities into work.

Esther McVey: The Department's programmes, including its specialist disability employment programmes, aim to identify and meet the needs of the individual, including those with learning disabilities. All of the support described below is operative in Oxfordshire and available for eligible people with learning disabilities.
	The Work programme is the biggest single Welfare to Work programme. It provides more personalised back-to-work support for unemployed people, including disabled people. For disabled people with more complex needs which cannot be met through the Work programme, there is a range of specialist disability employment provision.
	Work Choice provides tailored support for disabled people who face the most complex barriers to employment to find and stay in work, and progress into unsupported employment if appropriate. From July 2012 we introduced the Work Choice wage incentive, which is a payment of up to £2,275 that an employer can claim when they employ an 18 to 24-year-old from Work Choice for at least 26 weeks.
	Access to Work provides additional support for individuals whose health or disability affects the way they do their job. It provides individuals and their employers with support for extra costs, such as work-related travel, support workers or specialist adaptations and equipment. During 2011-12 Access to Work supported over 30,000 people to keep or get employment.
	We are fully supporting the Department for Education's Supported Internships Pilot for 16 to 25-year-olds with the special educational needs. Access to Work will support young people accessing the scheme, enabling them to receive a seamless package of support as they move from education into employment where their internship results in the offer of a job.

Housing Benefit

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress he has made in ensuring that women's refuges qualify as supported exempt accommodation as part of his Department's changes to appropriate definitions.

Steve Webb: Lord Freud wrote to providers and others in April about protecting supported housing such as refuges and hostels from the unintended consequences of reform. This work is being assisted by key organisations in the sector. We will bring forward proposals at the earliest opportunity.

Housing Benefit

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate his Department plans to make of any over or underspend of discretionary housing payment allocations by councils in (a) Scotland, (b) England and (c) Wales in 2013-14; what information his Department is seeking from those councils to make that estimate; and how frequently that estimate will be reviewed.

Steve Webb: It would not be appropriate to make estimates of discretionary housing payment expenditure in the way suggested.
	The Department allocates discretionary housing payment funding on the basis that local authorities will use it to support housing benefit recipients in-year with a range of housing related issues.
	Local authorities are able to add to the contribution from central Government by up to 150%. In previous years, a number of local authorities have opted to add their own funding to the scheme. Early indications are that a proportion of authorities are planning to add funding to their local schemes this year. Equally, in previous years, some authorities have returned unused funding to the Department at the end of the financial year. Around £11 million was returned at the end of 2012-13.
	Local authorities are required to provide the Department with six monthly reports on their discretionary housing payment expenditure. The reporting requirement has been increased for this year to include details of why the need has arisen and what the payment was awarded for.

Housing Benefit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to Regulation 12D(5) and (7) of the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006, for what reasons the 13 weeks protection rule is not being replicated under universal credit; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: This provision in housing benefit, introduced in 1986, allows a more generous level of support for people who have not claimed in the preceding 12 months and who could afford their rent when they took on the commitment. It was designed to provide protection for people on higher incomes who lose their jobs, allowing them a buffer period before their rent support is reduced to the local housing allowance level. We do not believe that this differential level of support should be carried forward into universal credit. It would be incompatible with universal credit design principles, and would add complexity and administrative costs to the calculation process.

Housing Benefit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to Regulations 12D(5) and (7) of the Housing Benefit Regulations 2006, what estimate he has made of the number of households affected by the omission from universal credit of the 13 weeks' protection.

Steve Webb: The information requested is not readily available, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Housing Benefit: Greater London

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the roll-out of the household benefit cap in Bromley, Croydon, Enfield and Haringey; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I provided to the right hon. Member for East Ham (Stephen Timms) on 1 July 2013, Official Report, columns 440-1W, on the benefit cap.

Housing Benefit: Private Rented Housing

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what payments his Department has made to each local authority since 2010-11 to ameliorate the effects of housing benefit caps on private sector tenants; and how much he expects to spend in this manner in (a) the current financial year and (b) 2014-15.

Steve Webb: The Government increased its contribution to discretionary housing payments (DHPs) by £360 million over the spending review period to help support tenants affected by the reforms to housing benefit, including the caps to local housing allowance (LHA) rates.
	In addition to an increase in DHPs, a further £49 million transitional funding was made available over the spending review period for local authorities to provide targeted support for claimants affected by the housing benefit reforms to LHA.
	Details of the DHP allocations for each local authority are available in Housing Benefit Circulars S2/2011 (for 2011-12), S4/2012 (for 2012-13 including carry over from 2011-12) and S1/2013 (for 2013-14).
	Details of the transitional funding for each local authority are available in Housing Benefit Circular S1/2012 (for 2012-13).
	Copies of these circulars have been placed in the Library.

Independent Living Fund

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will ensure that the current level of Independent Living Fund funding is protected when it is transferred to the Department for Communities and Local Government in 2015.

Esther McVey: As set out in the Spending Round document the total amount of funding that will transfer to local authorities in England and to the devolved Administrations in Scotland and Wales following the closure of the Independent Living Fund on 31 March 2015 will be £262 million. This sum is based on the Independent Living Fund's forecast actual expenditure in respect of its users in 2015-16, had responsibility for their support needs remained with my Department. Funding will be distributed to local government in England (via the Department for Communities and Local Government) and to the devolved Administrations in Scotland and Wales on the basis of patterns of expenditure in the period immediately before the fund closes.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average time is for which jobseeker’s allowance has been claimed by claimants previously in the employment and support allowance fit for work group.

Mark Hoban: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Occupational Health

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which individuals he plans to nominate for membership of the advisory group of the new health and work assessment and advisory service; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: This is an informal group of experts with the ability to generate ideas and challenge thinking to inform the development of the specification for the new health and work assessment and advisory service. Members of the group include health care professionals, academics, delegates from professional bodies and employer and employee representatives.
	The group is not a decision-making forum.

Remploy: Scotland

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many former employees of Remploy Wishaw are in part-time or full-time education;
	(2)  how many former employees of Remploy Wishaw are in full-time employment;
	(3)  how many former employees of Remploy Wishaw are in part-time employment.

Esther McVey: I can confirm that out of the 20 people previously employed at the Remploy factory in Wishaw (Motherwell) three found employment of more than 16 hours per week, one of whom is still in employment. Three former employees were intending to and subsequently retired. A further 14 have gone into work based training through Work Choice.
	The Department holds no records regarding how many, if any, have gone into full-time education.

Social Security Benefits

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research is being undertaken by his Department on the effect of the household benefit cap in the four boroughs piloting the restriction; and when that research will be published.

Mark Hoban: We have committed to a full evaluation of the benefit cap. A report will subsequently be published autumn 2014.

Social Security Benefits

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in what circumstances a claimant who has received an overpayment of benefits is required to make a civil payment in addition to reimbursing the original overpayment.

Mark Hoban: A civil penalty of £50 may be imposed on people who either make incorrect statements in their benefit claims without taking reasonable steps to correct them or who fail promptly to provide information or evidence or report changes in their circumstances without reasonable excuse, resulting in each case in an overpayment of benefit.

Social Security Benefits

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average time taken was between an application being made and benefit paid for (a) attendance allowance, (b) bereavement benefits, (c) carer's allowance, (d) disability living allowance, (e) employment and support allowance, (f) jobseeker's allowance, (g) maternity benefits, (h) housing benefit, (i) council tax benefit and (j) pension credit in each year since May 2010 up to the most recent period for which figures are available.

Mark Hoban: The information regarding when a benefit is paid is not available as this will vary from claim to claim depending on circumstances, payment type and frequency of payment.
	The information that is available is the Average Actual Clearance Time (AACT) which is the average time taken between an application being made and the date the customer was notified of the decision on their claim.
	Please see the most recent AACT data in the following table:
	
		
			 Claims actual average clearance time (AACT)   2013-14 (May 2013) Days 
			 Attendance Allowance claims AACT 22.2 
			 Bereavement Benefit Claims AACT 16.6 
			 Carers Allowance claims AACT 11.78 
			 Disability Living Allowance claims AACT 28.0 
			 Employment and Support Allowance claims AACT 10.2 
			 Jobseekers Allowance claims AACT 9.3 
			 Maternity Allowance Claims AACT 5.8 
			 Pension Credit claims AACT 11.9 
		
	
	Housing benefit and council tax benefit are administered by local authorities and not the DWP. Processing statistics for these benefits can be found at:
	http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/sop/index.php?page=sop

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what provision there is for the support of young adults with profound disabilities and their families.

Esther McVey: On 2 July 2013, we published “Fulfilling Potential—Making it Happen”, which captures current disability strategy activity and plans across the whole of Government and beyond. This includes the following provision for the support of disabled young adults and their families.
	The measures in the Care Bill aim to transform the social care system to focus on prevention and the needs and goals of disabled adults and their carers. It will give disabled people and carers an entitlement to a personal budget, ensuring that disabled young adults and their families are able to exercise choice and control in obtaining services that best meet their needs.
	The provisions of the Children and Families Bill will transform the system for disabled young people. It will require local authorities to publish a local offer to provide information on the services available in their area to support them and their families. The introduction of a birth to 25 single assessment process and Education, Health and Care Plan is currently being trialled.
	From September 2013, supported internships will be rolled out for disabled 16 to 25-year-olds with the most complex barriers.
	Disability benefits such as disability living allowance and personal independence, which began replacing disability living allowance for working age people from April, provide valuable cash contributions towards the extra costs faced by disabled people. Both benefits are flexible and can be spent in a way that best suits the needs of the recipient. They can also provide a gateway to other support including disability premiums in the income related benefits and the Motability scheme.
	For those with caring responsibilities, carers allowance will continue to be linked to disability living allowance and personal independence payment and remain separate to universal credit. In addition, universal credit will contain a carer element that can help carers on low income who provide care for least 35 hours per week for a disabled person.
	In addition, for young disabled adults who work or wish to enter employment there is a range of specialist support available including Access to Work and Work Choice. Work Choice provides tailored, employment-focused support for disabled people facing complex barriers to work. From July 2012 we introduced the Work Choice wage incentive, which is a payment of up to £2,275 that an employer can claim when they employ an 18 to 24-year-old young adult from Work Choice for at least 26 weeks. Access to Work provides additional support for individuals whose health or disability affects the way they do their job, including support workers, travel to work and specialist aids and equipment.

Social Security Benefits: Greater London

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in (a) Bromley, (b) Croydon, (c) Enfield and (d) Haringey were subject to the benefit cap on (i) 15 April, (ii) 15 May and (iii) 15 June 2013.

Mark Hoban: Statistics on the number of households capped across these four local authorities were published on 3 July 2013 and can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/series/benefit-cap-statistics
	Statistics show the number of households capped as at the end of April 2013 and the end of May 2013. Data specifically for the 15th of each month is not available.

Social Security Benefits: Greater London

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many Jobcentre Plus employment support officers in each London borough will be co-located with local authority staff when the household benefit cap is rolled-out across London;
	(2)  with reference to the answer of 14 March 2013, Official Report, column 337W, on social security benefits: Greater London, how many Jobcentre Plus employment support officers are co-located in each of the four boroughs piloting the housing benefit cap; and for how long those staff will be available to provide that additional support to affected claimants.

Mark Hoban: When the benefit cap is implemented across London, DWP will have a minimum of 51 Jobcentre Plus employment support officers co-located with local authority staff. Some officers are co-located on a part-time basis.
	Where co-location is not currently in place or planned, DWP is in discussion with the relevant local authority to either put co-location in place, or ensure that DWP and the local authority co-ordinate support activities.
	The following table provides the breakdown for each local authority:
	
		
			 Local authority Number of co-located officers 
			 Barking and Dagenham — 
			 Barnet 3 
			 Bexley 1 
			 Brent 2 
			 Bromley 2 
			 Camden 1 
			 Croydon 3 
			 Ealing 2 
			 Enfield 2 
			 Greenwich 2 
			 Hackney 2 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 2 
			 Haringey 4 
			 Harrow 1 
			 Havering 1 
			 Hillingdon 1 
			 Hounslow 1 
			 Islington 3 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1 
			 Kingston upon Thames 1 
			 Lambeth 1 
			 Lewisham 1 
			 London (City of) — 
			 Merton 1 
			 Newham 1 
			 Redbridge 1 
			 Richmond upon Thames 1 
			 Southwark 1 
			 Sutton 1 
			 Tower Hamlets 2 
			 Waltham Forest 2 
			 Wandsworth 2 
			 Westminster 2 
		
	
	In the four local authorities that were first to implement the benefit cap there are currently 11 Jobcentre Plus employment support officers co-located:
	
		
			  Staff members 
			 Bromley 2 
			 Croydon 3 
			 Enfield 2 
			 Haringey 4 
		
	
	There are no plans to remove this resource from those four local authorities. Any future change to resource levels will be undertaken in consultation with local authority colleagues.

Social Security Benefits: Haringey

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of those subject to the household benefit cap pilot in Haringey have had an interview with a Department for Work and Pensions co-located employment support officer.

Mark Hoban: 322 claimants have had the cap applied and attended an interview with a Department for Work and Pensions co-located employment support officer in Haringey.

Unemployment: Sheffield

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many people between 16 and 25-years-old in (a) Sheffield and (b) each Sheffield parliamentary constituency have been claiming jobseeker's allowance for two years or more in each month since May 2010;
	(2)  how many people in (a) Sheffield and (b) each Sheffield parliamentary constituency have been unemployed for two years or more in each month since May 2010.

Mark Hoban: Statistics on how many people between 16 and 25-years-old in (a) Sheffield and (b) each Sheffield parliamentary constituency have been claiming jobseeker's allowance or have been unemployed for two years or more in each month since May 2010, from the claimant count, can be found at:
	https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/default.asp
	Guidance for users can be found at:
	https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/home/newuser.asp

Vacancies

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when new statistics on vacancies by parliamentary constituency will be made available.

Mark Hoban: National Statistics on vacancies at UK-level continue to be reported each month via the ONS Vacancy Survey. A user consultation by DWP on the changes to the Jobcentre Plus vacancy series was conducted last year and has been published on the DWP statistics web pages. Statistical information for some geographies below national level is already available via the Universal Jobmatch Ml tool and some improvements, including the addition of breakdowns by parliamentary constituency, have been suggested. DWP is currently agreeing with Monster Worldwide Ltd, the Universal Jobmatch supplier, a timetable for prioritising and implementing these improvements, subject to funding. Further details will be released as soon as they are available.

Vacancies: Internet

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many vacancies have been posted on Universal Jobmatch to date.

Mark Hoban: 2,365,811 new job vacancies have been posted on Universal Jobmatch between 19 November 2012 and 30 June 2013.

Vacancies: Internet

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many vacancies for each occupation have been posted on Universal Jobmatch.

Mark Hoban: The information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Vacancies by employer sector, 19 November 2012 to 30 June 2013 
			 Employer sector Job vacancies 
			 Accounting and Auditing Services 8,141 
			 Advertising and PR Services 19,853 
			 Aerospace and Defence 2,848 
			 Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing 2,467 
			 All 8,428 
			 Architectural and Design Services 700 
			 Automotive and Parts Mfg 1,017 
			 Automotive Sales and Repair Services 16,580 
			 Banking 3,019 
			 Biotechnology/Pharmaceuticals 694 
			 Broadcasting, Music, and Film 1,014 
			 Business Services: Other 119,592 
			 Chemicals/Petro-Chemicals 757 
			 Computer Hardware 344 
			 Computer Software 1,226 
			 Computer/IT Services 4,688 
			 Construction: Industrial Facilities and Infrastructure 14,126 
			 Construction: Residential and Commercial/Office 29,839 
			 Education 50,111 
			 Electronics, Components, and Semiconductor Mfg 900 
			 Energy and Utilities 8,103 
			 Engineering Services 7,099 
			 Entertainment Venues and Theatres 1,501 
			 Financial Services 50,107 
			 Food and Beverage Production 26,469 
			 Government and Military 28,250 
			 Healthcare Services 110,975 
			 Hotels and Lodging 21,160 
			 Insurance 1,264 
			 Internet Services 1,605 
			 Legal Services 3,990 
			 Management Consulting Services 5,067 
			 Manufacturing: Other 15,813 
			 Marine Mfg and Services 180 
			 Medical Devices and Supplies 5,717 
			 Metals and Minerals 307 
			 Nonprofit Charitable Organisations 11,975 
			 Other/Not Classified 77,504 
			 Performing and Fine Arts 447 
			 Personal and Household Services 26,454 
			 Personal Care and Cosmetics 3,914 
			 Printing and Publishing 2,015 
			 Real Estate and Property Management 9,745 
			 Rental Services 3,325 
			 Restaurant/Food Services 24,126 
			 Retail 106,619 
			 Security and Surveillance 14,186 
			 Sports and Physical Recreation 11,523 
			 Staffing/Employment Agencies 1,464,762 
			 Telecommunications Services 4,832 
			 Textile and Clothing Manufacturing 1,233 
			 Transport and Storage: Materials 13,703 
			 Travel, Transportation and Tourism 5,765 
			 Waste Management 2,677 
			 Wholesale Trade/Import-Export 7,055 
			 Note: The end of the period date corresponds to the last day for which data is available.

Work Programme

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people received post-Work Programme support in June 2013.

Mark Hoban: The number of claimants who received post-Work Programme support in June 2013 would be based on data the Department plans to release as official statistics. We are therefore unable to provide estimates without compromising the integrity of the statistical release.

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to improve job outcomes for employment and support allowance claimants referred to the Work programme; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: In April the Department launched the Best Practice Group formed to help organisations delivering the Work programme to find the best ways to help tens of thousands of former incapacity benefit claimants and people claiming ESA overcome issues which are stopping them from getting a job.
	The Best Practice Group will develop a framework so they can all benefit from as much expertise as possible. The group is Chaired independently by Andrew Sells, who has extensive experience in finance and business and is a trustee at Policy Exchange.
	All providers are required to have plans setting out how they will drive up performance for the ESA client group.

Work Programme: Warrington

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Warrington have participated in the Work programme since its inception; and how many such participants have found (a) part-time and (b) full-time jobs through that programme.

Mark Hoban: Statistics on how many people in Warrington have participated in the Work programme since its inception can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/series/dwp-statistics-tabulation-tool#benefit-caseloads
	Information on how many participants have found part-time and full-time employment through the Work programme is not available.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Electric Cables

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what criteria National Grid would use to determine whether new electricity transmission projects would be constructed overground or underground.

Michael Fallon: National Grid published its approach to designing and routeing of new electricity transmission lines (including undergrounding) in September 2011, following a consultation process which began in December 2010. Using this published process, National Grid has committed to placing greater emphasis on mitigating the visual impact of its infrastructure as part of its planning applications. The publication is available at:
	http://www.nationalgrid.com/NR/rdonlyres/E9F96A2A-C987-403F-AE7D-BDA07821F2C8/55465/OurApproach.pdf

Electric Cables

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the average cost is of installing electricity transmission cables (a) overground via pylons and (b) underground; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: In 2011, National Grid commissioned an independent study to give more clarity on the practicality, whole life costs and impacts of undergrounding and subsea cabling as alternatives to overhead lines. The Electricity Transmission Costing Study, prepared by technical experts and overseen and endorsed by the Institution of Engineering and Technology was published in January 2012 (with an update in April 2012). It contains estimated cost ranges for overhead lines and underground technologies. The study is available at:
	http://www.theiet.org/factfiles/transmission-report.cfm
	The study found that overhead lines were the cheapest transmission technology for any given route length or circuit capacity, with the lifetime cost estimates varying between £2.2 million and £4.2 million per kilometre. Underground technologies had lifetime cost estimates varying between £10.2 million and £31.8 million per kilometre.

Electric Cables: Carmarthenshire

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what representations he has received from the Welsh Government on the intention of Western Powers Distribution to construct electricity pylons between TAN 8 area G in north Carmarthenshire to the national grid located in South Carmarthenshire.

Michael Fallon: I have regular discussions with the Welsh Government across a range of energy matters but have received no specific representations on this proposed connection project.

Energy Companies Obligation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what volume of the Energy Company Obligation market has been secured through the brokerage auction to date.

Gregory Barker: To date, approximately £156 million of activity has been traded via ECO brokerage, in contracts ranging from three to 12 months duration. The volumes of ECO traded every two weeks through brokerage can be found at
	https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/eco-brokerage-results

Energy Companies Obligation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the average subsidy is that a household with installations completed has received under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Obligation element of the Energy Company Obligation.

Gregory Barker: As robust information becomes available to us over time, we will be able to report on the cost and the total number of measures delivered by obligation, from this it will be possible to calculate the average costs per measure. However, we will not have the information to disseminate this by measure type.

Energy Companies Obligation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to publish a revised impact assessment of the Energy Company Obligation.

Gregory Barker: The Department currently has no plans to publish a revised full Impact Assessment for the Energy Company Obligation.

Energy Companies Obligation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what successor scheme the Government plans to introduce when the Energy Company Obligation ends in March 2015.

Gregory Barker: The Department is currently considering the policy design of the obligation beyond March 2015, and will consult on proposals in due course.

Energy Companies Obligation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many of the energy companies that are legally obligated to deliver the Energy Company Obligation are not providing (a) Green Deal assessments and (b) Green Deal packages.

Gregory Barker: Under the energy company obligation (ECO) framework, while energy suppliers frequently use a Green Deal assessment as the starting point for measures installed under ECO, it is not a requirement for them to do this nor are they required to become Green Deal providers. Currently four of the seven obligated suppliers are registered as providers. Those suppliers that operate as providers have options around who they work with as assessors and some have established their own registered assessor or installer organisations. A full list of assessor organisations can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/green-deal-energy-saving-measures/getting-an-assessment

Fuel Poverty

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many (a) written, (b) email and (c) telephone representations he has received on (i) his plans to alleviate fuel poverty in the private rented sector, (ii) the operation of the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000 and (iii) the disconnection of (A) gas and (B) electricity supplies in each month since May 2010; how many such representations were from (1) individuals and (2) organisations; if he will place in the Library copies of responses sent to such representations; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: For the purpose of answering this question, various searches of the departmental correspondence system have been conducted. In relation to fuel poverty in the private rented sector and the operation of the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000, it has been possible to search the records on correspondence with DECC Ministers with the case title “fuel poverty”. In the period since May 2010, 574 items of written correspondence were given this case title, including 199 e-mails. Of these, 283 were from hon. Members, 207 from members of the public and 65 from other stakeholders. There were also 13 written invitations to Ministers to attend events. Six items of correspondence were transferred to other Government Departments. Providing copies of the departmental replies to these items of correspondence would entail disproportionate cost.
	An initial search of the correspondence system relating to “disconnections” of electricity and/or gas has not yielded reliable results. A more detailed subject search would entail disproportionate cost.
	Records are not kept of individual telephone inquiries to the Secretary of State. Standard procedure is to advise members of the public to put their inquiries in writing.

Fuel Poverty

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many hon. Members wrote to his Department on behalf of constituents about (a) steps taken to alleviate fuel poverty in the private rented sector, (b) the operation of the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000 and (c) the disconnection of (i) gas and (ii) electricity supplies in the last 12 months; what the average time taken to reply was; if he will place in the Library a copy of each such reply; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: For the purpose of answering this question, various searches of the departmental correspondence system have been conducted. In relation to fuel poverty in the private rented sector and the operation of the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000, it has been possible to search the records on correspondence with DECC Ministers with the case title “fuel poverty”. In the period since May 2010, 283 letters from hon. Members were given this case title. Providing the average time taken to reply to these letters would entail disproportionate cost. Providing copies of each reply would also entail disproportionate cost. An initial search of the correspondence system relating to “disconnections” of electricity and/or gas has not yielded reliable results. A more detailed subject search would entail disproportionate cost.

Gas Fired Power Stations

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate his Department has made of the (a) number of projects and (b) total capacity of gas-fired power stations which (i) are under construction, (ii) have received planning permission, (iii) have applied for planning permission and (iv) are at the pre-application stage of the planning process.

Michael Fallon: The information requested is as follows:
	(i) There is currently one gas-fired power station under construction: Carrington Power Station 880MW (Carrington Power Ltd, owned by ESB).
	(ii) Applications received at the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) prior to 1 March 2010 are administered under the provisions of section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. There is currently over 14 GW of gas plant with consent in England and Wales and two plants awaiting consent under s.36 of the Electricity Act totalling just over 2 GW. Further details of the individual projects are available on our website:
	https://www.og.decc.gov.uk/EIP/pages/recent.htm
	(iii) From 1 March 2010, the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) became responsible for processing new planning applications under the Planning Act 2008. To date the Planning Inspectorate has accepted two applications from developers of gas-fired power stations totalling nearly 1 GW of capacity.
	(iv) A number of other gas generation projects are at the pre-acceptance stage. Further details of the individual projects are detailed on the PINS website:
	http://infrastructure.independent.gov.uk/
	Applications for consent to construct power stations in Scotland are for the Scottish Government to determine.

Power Stations

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  how many mothballed power stations there are in Great Britain;
	(2)  what estimate his Department has made of the generating capacity of those power stations that have been mothballed in each of the last 20 years.

Michael Fallon: The Government is aware of three power stations (Keadby, Teesside, and Roosecote) that are mothballed or similarly unavailable to generate this winter. These power stations had a total generating capacity of 2.8 GW.
	In addition to these power stations that are currently fully mothballed, there are also a number of power stations where some units are mothballed.

EDUCATION

Education: Finance

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the value of the education services grant will be in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16.

David Laws: In 2014-15, £1.03 billion will be transferred from local government revenue funding for the Education Services Grant.
	The 2013 spending round confirmed that the Department will make savings of around £200 million to the Education Services Grant in 2015-16. We will consult in the autumn on how to implement those savings.

Free School Meals

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 1 July 2013, Official Report, column 599, on free school meals, what assessment he has made of how many and what proportion of families with children in receipt of free school meals are living in poverty.

David Laws: If relative income poverty is used as the measure of child poverty, around 200,000 families with children who receive free school meals are in relative income poverty. This is about 32% of all families with children who receive free school meals.
	The remaining families are in the bottom 40% of the income distribution and are likely to be only just above the poverty line. Moreover, receipt of free school meals is an in-kind benefit which is considered as income in poverty measurements, so many of them would be in relative income poverty if they did not receive free school meals. Finally, the majority of these families are unemployed lone parents whom the evidence shows are a group at high risk of poverty.
	For these reasons, the Government do not believe that relative income in isolation is the best measure of the number of children in poverty. We are committed to developing new measures of child poverty and are considering the results of a consultation on this.

Free School Meals

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many people in (a) York, (b) North Yorkshire, (c) Yorkshire and the Humber and (d) England received free school meals in each year since 1995-96.

David Laws: Information on the number and percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals in the requested areas for 2002 to 2013 is shown in the following tables. Comparable data for earlier years is not available.
	Further information on the number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals as at January 2013 is published in the Statistical First Release 'Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics, January 2013'.(1)
	(1 )https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2013
	
		
			 Maintained nursery, state-funded primary, state-funded secondary, state-funded special schools and pupil referral units(1, 2, 3, 4): Number and percentage of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals, January each year, York local authority, North Yorkshire local authority, Yorkshire and the Humber region and England 
			 York local authority area 
			  Maintained nursery and state-funded primary schools(1, 2) State-funded secondary schools(1, 3) Special schools(4) 
			  Number on roll(6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll(6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll(6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 2002 13,201 1,460 11.1 9,205 852 9.3 276 84 30.4 
			 2003 12,879 1,332 10.3 9,486 775 8.2 245 64 26.1 
			 2004 12,843 1,380 10.7 9,555 817 8.6 221 51 23.1 
			 2005 12,785 1,333 10.4 9,385 781 8.3 187 37 19.8 
			 2006 12,621 1,338 10.6 9,266 821 8.9 178 44 24.7 
			 2007 12,385 1,288 10.4 9,162 800 8.7 166 42 25.3 
			 2008 12,175 1,203 9.9 8,873 760 8.6 150 37 24.7 
			 2009 12,069 1,236 10.2 8,744 779 8.9 143 38 26.6 
			 2010 12,170 1,339 11.0 8,743 796 9.1 133 30 22.6 
			 2011 12,274 1,468 12.0 8,693 806 9.3 119 27 22.7 
		
	
	
		
			 2012 12,523 1,541 12.3 8,523 812 9.5 124 36 29.0 
			 2013 12,829 1,521 11.9 8,381 786 9.4 144 35 24.3 
		
	
	
		
			  Pupil referral units(5) Maintained nursery, state-funded primary(1, 2),state-funded secondary(1, 3, )special schools(4) and pupil referral units(5) 
			  Number on roll(6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll(6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 2002 — — — 22,682 2,396 10.6 
			 2003 — — — 22,610 2,171 9.6 
			 2004 — — — 22,619 2,248 9.9 
			 2005 — — — 22,357 2,151 9.6 
			 2006 — — — 22,065 2,203 10.0 
			 2007 — — — 21,713 2,130 9.8 
			 2008 — — — 21,198 2,000 9.4 
			 2009 — — — 20,956 2,053 9.8 
			 2010 125 39 31.2 21,171 2,204 10.4 
			 2011 149 54 36.2 21,235 2,355 11.1 
			 2012 146 61 41.8 21,316 2,450 11.5 
			 2013 168 61 36.3 21,522 2,403 11.2 
		
	
	
		
			 North Yorkshire local authority area 
			  Maintained nursery and state-funded primary schools(1, 2) State-funded secondary schools(1, 3) Special schools(4) 
			  Number on roll(6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll(6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll(6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 2002 45,410 4,014 8.8 35,650 2,354 6.6 498 119 23.9 
			 2003 44,751 3,889 8.7 36,139 2,294 6.3 713 116 16.3 
			 2004 43,885 3,897 8.9 36,429 2,439 6.7 683 108 15.8 
			 2005 43,076 3,615 8.4 36,317 2,402 6.6 696 108 15.5 
			 2006 42,223 3,442 8.2 36,022 2,367 6.6 669 114 17.0 
			 2007 41,524 3,461 8.3 35,457 2,363 6.7 658 111 16.9 
			 2008 41,083 3,379 8.2 34,902 2,352 6.7 646 108 16.7 
			 2009 40,658 3,477 8.6 34,393 2,358 6.9 639 107 16.7 
			 2010 40,323 4,122 10.2 33,922 2,617 7.7 617 122 19.8 
			 2011 40,377 4,191 10.4 33,411 2,609 7.8 613 137 22.3 
			 2012 40,541 4,165 10.3 32,857 2,688 8.2 623 150 24.1 
			 2013 41,320 4,125 10.0 31,931 2,611 8.2 613 156 25.4 
		
	
	
		
			  Pupil referral units(5) Maintained nursery, state-funded primary(1, 2),state-funded secondary(1,3), special schools(4) and pupil referral units(5) 
			  Number on roll(6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll(6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 2002 — — — 81,558 6,487 8.0 
			 2003 — — — 81,603 6,299 7.7 
			 2004 — — — 80,997 6,444 8.0 
			 2005 — — — 80,089 6,125 7.6 
			 2006 — — — 78,914 5,923 7.5 
			 2007 — — — 77,639 5,935 7.6 
		
	
	
		
			 2008 — — — 76,631 5,839 7.6 
			 2009 — — — 75,690 5,942 7.9 
			 2010 66 10 15.2 74,928 6,871 9.2 
			 2011 46 3 6.5 74,447 6,940 9.3 
			 2012 31 4 12.9 74,052 7,007 9.5 
			 2013 51 8 15.7 73,915 6,900 9.3 
		
	
	
		
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 
			  Maintained nursery and state-funded primary schools(1, 2) State-funded secondary schools(1, 3) Special schools(4) 
			  Number on roll(6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll(6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll(6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 2002 431,015 84,905 19.7 312,420 53,930 17.3 6,585 2,765 42.0 
			 2003 424,145 80,955 19.1 316,080 53,165 16.8 7,060 2,715 38.5 
			 2004 415,765 79,770 19.2 317,955 51,805 16.3 6,845 2,625 38.4 
			 2005 410,570 75,900 18.5 315,715 50,885 16.1 6,650 2,410 36.2 
			 2006 404,205 69,430 17.2 313,890 48,460 15.4 6,615 2,230 33.7 
			 2007 398,295 68,345 17.2 309,795 46,500 15.0 6,535 2,145 32.8 
			 2008 394,575 67,270 17.0 304,190 45,540 15.0 6,570 2,100 32.0 
			 2009 393,310 69,205 17.6 298,370 45,085 15.1 6,510 2,190 33.6 
			 2010 394,640 76,030 19.3 294,380 47,180 16.0 6,365 2,185 34.3 
			 2011 397,300 78,345 19.7 290,395 47,240 16.3 6,270 2,290 36.5 
			 2012 404,420 81,690 20.2 286,325 47,525 16.6 6,405 2,480 38.7 
			 2013 415,315 84,635 20.4 280,670 48,045 17.1 6,590 2,620 39.8 
		
	
	
		
			  Pupil referral units(5) Maintained nursery, state-funded primary(1, 2), state-funded secondary(1, 3), special schools(4) and pupil referral units(5) 
			  Number on roll(6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll(6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 2002 — — — 750,020 141,600 18.9 
			 2003 — — — 747,280 136,835 18.3 
			 2004 — — — 740,570 134,200 18.1 
			 2005 — — — 732,935 129,190 17.6 
			 2006 — — — 724,715 120,120 16.6 
			 2007 — — — 714,630 116,985 16.4 
			 2008 — — — 705,335 114,910 16.3 
			 2009 — — — 698,190 116,480 16.7 
			 2010 1,195 445 37.8 696,580 125,835 18.0 
			 2011 1,355 480 35.4 695,290 128,356 18.5 
			 2012 1,140 545 48.0 698,285 132,245 18.9 
			 2013 1,125 530 47.3 703,695 135,830 19.3 
		
	
	
		
			 England 
			  Maintained nursery and state-funded primary schools(1, 2) State-funded secondary schools(1, 3) Special schools(4) 
			  Number on roll(6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll(6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on roll(6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 2002 4,064,895 741,495 18.2 2,953,655 469,760 15.9 77,785 30,305 39.0 
			 2003 4,023,395 719,425 17.9 2,992,635 463,600 15.5 84,240 30,615 36.3 
			 2004 3,977,530 730,420 18.4 3,010,100 464,425 15.4 81,825 30,245 37.0 
			 2005 3,939,755 708,245 18.0 2,993,920 453,390 15.1 80,240 27,955 34.8 
		
	
	
		
			 2006 3,899,450 664,980 17.1 2,985,905 439,125 14.7 79,310 26,690 33.7 
			 2007 3,860,420 654,290 16.9 2,955,210 425,110 14.4 78,760 26,290 33.4 
			 2008 3,837,680 637,170 16.6 2,913,725 413,365 14.2 78,265 25,705 32.8 
			 2009 3,825,475 652,305 17.1 2,883,245 417,970 14.5 78,030 26,245 33.6 
			 2010 3,838,680 711,405 18.5 2,864,345 441,145 15.4 78,335 27,325 34.9 
			 2011 3,873,175 743,255 19.2 2,837,825 450,275 15.9 79,030 28,830 36.5 
			 2012 3,947,650 760,910 19.3 2,809,815 449,485 16.0 80,505 30,170 37.5 
			 2013 4,045,835 776,445 19.2 2,779,190 452,600 16.3 82,555 31,655 38.3 
		
	
	
		
			  Pupil referral units(5) Maintained nursery, state-funded primary(1,2, )state-funded secondary(1, 3, )special schools(4) and pupil referral units(5) 
			  Number on roll(6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals Number on rol(l6, 7) Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals(6, 7) Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 2002 — — — 7,096,340 1,241,560 17.5 
			 2003 — — — 7,100,265 1,213,635 17.1 
			 2004 — — — 7,069,450 1,225,090 17.3 
			 2005 — — — 7,013,915 1,189,590 17.0 
			 2006 — — — 6,964,660 1,130,790 16.2 
			 2007 — — — 6,894,390 1,105,690 16.0 
			 2008 — — — 6,829,670 1,076,240 15.8 
			 2009 — — — 6,786,750 1,096,525 16.2 
			 2010 15,140 5,050 33.3 6,796,500 1,184,920 17.4 
			 2011 13,725 4,745 34.6 6,803,755 1,227,110 18.0 
			 2012 13,235 4,855 36.7 6,851,205 1,245,420 18.2 
			 2013 12,640 5,070 40.1 6,920,220 1,265,770 18.3 
			 — = Not available. Note: National and regional totals have been rounded to the nearest 5. (1 )Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes all primary academies, including free schools. (3) Includes city technology colleges and all secondary academies, including free schools, university technical colleges and studio schools. (4) Includes maintained special schools, special academies and non-maintained special schools, excludes general hospital schools. (5) Comparable information for pupil referral units is not available prior to 2010 (when the collection became pupil-level). (6) Includes sole and dual (main) registrations. In pupil referral units also includes pupils registered with other providers and further education colleges. (7) Includes pupils who have full-time attendance and are aged 15 or under, or pupils who have part-time attendance and are aged between 5 and 15 (age as at 31 August). Source: School Census.

Free Schools

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the (a) location, (b) value and (c) date of transfer of each site transferred from local authorities to free schools is; what the (i) location and (ii) value of any further such sites under consideration is; what the future freehold ownership of all the sites in question is; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Timpson: Tables listing the location and dates of all sites that have been transferred from local authorities to free school trusts on a freehold or leasehold basis will be placed in the House Library. This information is already in the public domain. The list includes all sites which are, or will become, the permanent premises for free schools. It is for the relevant local authorities to decide if they wish to disclose the value of those sites.
	It is possible that local authority sites may come into consideration for some of the free schools that were approved in May 2013. The future freehold ownership of local authority sites is a matter of negotiation between local authorities and the Department on a case by case basis.

Priority School Building Programme

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which schools in each parliamentary constituency in England will receive funding under the Priority Schools Building Programme in the next three years.

David Laws: The Priority School Building Programme (PSBP) is being delivered centrally by the Education Funding Agency (EFA). The schools within the programme do not receive funding directly as the EFA will enter directly into the contracts to rebuild the schools.
	A list of the schools, arranged by parliamentary constituency, will be placed in the House Library.

Runaway Children

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how many local authorities had a dedicated service to support young runaway children in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12;
	(2)  how many full-time equivalent staff were employed by local authorities to provide direct support to young runaway children in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12.

Edward Timpson: The Government do not hold information centrally on the number of local authorities that have a dedicated service to support young runaway children. Nor do we hold information centrally on the number of staff employed by local authorities to provide direct support to young runaway children.
	On 25 June 2013 the Government launched a consultation on revised statutory guidance for local authorities on children who run away or go missing from home or care. This guidance sets out what local authorities should do to reduce the incidence of children running away, what should happen when a child runs away and what should happen when the child is found.

Schools: Finance

Pamela Nash: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much money that was transferred to free and academy schools and subsequently classed as underspend in Budget 2013 has yet to be paid back to his Department; and how much money transferred to free and academy schools remains unaccounted for in total.

David Laws: Free schools and academies, like local authority maintained schools, can save some of their funding for use later in the academic year and in future years. From 2012-13, we are consolidating the accounts of academies and free schools into those of the Department for Education. Any funding that these schools retain and carry forward is not treated as expenditure in the departmental group accounts.
	Academies and free schools are responsible for ensuring that they spend their funding in the most effective way in order to improve the educational outcomes of their pupils.
	Full details of the final figures will be included in the Department’s accounts for 2012-13, which will be laid in the coming months.

Young People: Surveys

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with reference to the data in table 6.3.3 in the Youth Cohort Study and Longitudinal Study of Young People in England: The Activities and Experiences of 19 Year Olds: England 2010, if he will supply a breakdown of those data by (a) Government office region or other geographic segmentation, (b) ethnicity, (c) free school meal eligibility and (d) parental occupational category.

Matthew Hancock: The information requested has been placed in the House Library.

Young People: Surveys

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with reference to the data in tables 1.2.1, 1.2.2, 2.1.1, 2.1.4 and A.1.1 in the Youth Cohort Study and Longitudinal Study of Young People in England: The Activities and Experiences of 19 Year Olds: England 2010, if he will supply a breakdown of those data by Government office region or any other geographic segmentation.

Matthew Hancock: The information requested has been placed in the House Library.
	Estimates of qualification levels held by young people by Government office region (GOR) and local authority using matched administrative data are included in tables 15a to 21b of the Statistical First Release “Attainment by young people in England measured using matched administrative data: by age 19 in 2012”, available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/attainment-by-young-people-in-england-measured-using-matched-administrative-data-by-age-19-in-2012
	Estimates of participation in higher education (HE) using administrative data are available by GOR, local authority and parliamentary constituency level, available at:
	http://www.hefce.ac.uk/whatwedo/wp/ourresearch/polar/polar3data/

TREASURY

Commodity Markets

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the introduction of ex-ante position limits for agricultural futures and options markets.

Greg Clark: The Government has given careful consideration to the effective methods of regulation and supervision of commodity derivatives, including agricultural futures and options. The Government supports a position management regime based on strong supervision, market monitoring and a comprehensive suite of tools deployed by market operators (including the power to set position limits for market participants) to ensure the orderly functioning of those markets.

Fraud

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many alleged Ponzi schemes his Department is currently investigating.

Greg Clark: Although the Treasury sets the legal framework for the regulation of financial services, it does not have investigative or prosecuting powers of its own.
	The Serious Fraud Office and the police are responsible for assessing and investigating allegations of fraud such as ponzi schemes.

Infrastructure

Helen Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to Investing in Britain's Future, Cm 8669, published June 2013, how much will be spent on infrastructure development in each region of the UK.

Danny Alexander: A regional breakdown of infrastructure projects can be found on page 12 of Investing in Britain's Future.

National Savings Certificates

John Hemming: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will instruct National Savings and Investments to make National Savings index-linked savings certificates permanently available to savers with immediate effect.

Sajid Javid: National Savings and Investments (NS&I) purpose is to provide cost-effective debt financing to the Government by issuing and selling retail savings and investment products to the public.
	In meeting this objective NS&I follow a policy balancing the interests of their customers, the taxpayer and the stability of the wider financial services market. In line with this remit NS&I do not anticipate new sales of Index Linked Savings Certificates this year.

Non-domestic Rates

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses in (a) Barnsley Central constituency, (b) Barnsley, (c) South Yorkshire and (d) England have qualified for the increased levels of small business rate relief since 2010.

Brandon Lewis: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Communities and Local Government.
	Details of the number of businesses in Barnsley, South Yorkshire and England that were benefiting from the small business rate relief scheme as at 31 December 2010 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of businesses paying the lower multiplier and receiving a discount Number of businesses paying the lower multiplier and not receiving a discount Number of businesses benefiting from the relief scheme as at 31 December 2010 
			 South Yorkshire 11,446 695 12,141 
			 Of which:    
			 Barnsley 2,121 98 2,219 
			 Doncaster 2,647 136 2,783 
			 Rotherham 2,275 136 2,411 
			 Sheffield 4,403 325 4,728 
			 Total England 459,934 49,918 509,852 
		
	
	Data as at 31 December 2012 were collected earlier this year and are currently being validated and will be published in the autumn. Data are collected at billing authority level, we do not collect data at constituency level.
	Thanks to the temporary extension of small business rate relief until April 2014, we estimate that approximately half a million businesses in England are benefiting, with approximately a third of a million paying no rates at all. The Localism Act 2011 has also made it easier for eligible small firms to claim their small business rate relief.

Payments: Regulation

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to respond to his Department's consultation on Opening up UK payments.

David Gauke: The consultation on “Opening up UK payments” closed on 25 June 2013. HM Treasury is reviewing the consultation responses and developing legislation to create a new payments regulator. The legislation will be brought forward via Government amendment to the Banking Reform Bill. The Government will issue its formal response to this timetable.

Public Sector: Redundancy

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of those who were unemployed having been made redundant by public sector bodies were women in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012.

Danny Alexander: holding answer 3 July 2013
	This information is not held centrally.

Revenue and Customs

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff were employed on 31 March 2013 in each area of HM Revenue and Customs activity; and how many staff he expects to be employed on 31 March in each year between 2014 and 2016 as a result of the Spending Review 2013 statement.

David Gauke: The Headcount (HC) and full time equivalent (FTE) for HMRC staff as at 31 March 2013 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Line of Business HC FTE 
			 Benefits and Credits 6,000 5,156.71 
			 Business Tax 3,739 3,409.72 
			 Enforcement and Compliance 29,575 26,601 
			 Personal Tax 28,217 24,443.8 
			 Corporate Services 5,211 4,865.07 
			 HMRC Total 72,742 64,476.4 
		
	
	HMRC is expecting its staffing level to reduce to 52,000 FTEs by the end of March 2016. However, it is not yet in a position to break this down by Line of Business.

Revenue and Customs

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what level of savings has been made in each year from 2010-11 in each area of HM Revenue and Customs; and what level of savings he expects to be made in each year between 2013-14 and 2015-16 following Spending Review 2013.

David Gauke: HMRC's efficiency savings plans are set to achieve cost reductions while maintaining or improving performance (e.g. in the core activity of raising revenue). This ensures that the public get value for money.
	Details of HMRC's actual savings achieved and savings targets between 2010-11 and 2015-16 are as follows:
	
		
			 £ million 
			  In year savings made 
			  Actual Target(1) 
			  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 
			 Total savings made/forecast 312 296 249 178 243 166 
			        
			 Benefits and Credits (2)18 15 14 6 3 3 
			 Business Tax (2)14 11 8 13 10 6 
			 Enforcement and Compliance (2)85 73 71 46 39 44 
			 Personal Tax (2)26 23 49 67 80 57 
			 Corporate Support (including IT and Estates) (2)169 145 76 41 81 23 
			 Other sustainable efficiency savings in centrally held budgets — 29 31 5 30 33 
			 (1) Exact breakdown still to be confirmed by business planning process. (2) Estimates constructed to put them on the same basis as SR'10 and SR'13 figures. Note: Gross of reinvestment programme.

Royal Bank of Scotland

Pat McFadden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of the Government taking over the assets of the non-core division of the Royal Bank of Scotland;
	(2)  if he will estimate the cost to the public purse of the Government buying out the remaining private shareholders of the Royal Bank of Scotland;
	(3)  if he will publish details of any (a) analysis and (b) costings done by his Department on splitting the Royal Bank of Scotland into a good bank and a bad bank;
	(4)  what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of splitting Royal Bank of Scotland into a good bank and a bad bank.

David Gauke: The Government will urgently investigate the case for taking the bad assets out of RBS and set up a bad bank. This review will be conducted by the Treasury with external professional support. It will look at a broad range of RBS's assets, but particularly assets in Ulster Bank and UK commercial real estate.
	The Government is not prepared to put more taxpayer capital into RBS as part of this process.
	A decision will be taken on whether to establish a bad bank following the review, which will assess whether it would support the British economy; be in the interests of taxpayers; and accelerate the return to private ownership.

Royal Bank of Scotland

Pat McFadden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish any assessments undertaken by his Department of the potential effects on EU state aid of splitting Royal Bank of Scotland into a good bank and a bad bank.

Greg Clark: The Government is aware that creating a bad bank could have state aid implications. These will be considered as part of the bad bank review.

Royal Sussex County Hospital

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how long he expects it will take him to release funding for redeveloping the Royal Sussex hospital following full acceptance by the Trust Development Authority of the case for the redevelopment put forward by Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust; and if he will make a statement.

Danny Alexander: The outline business case for the development at the Royal Sussex County hospital is currently being reviewed by the Government. As part of this review, the trust has been asked to provide additional information to demonstrate the scheme's affordability, which the trust is currently preparing. Once the trust has submitted this, and it has been approved by the Trust Development Authority, the Government will be able to complete its review.
	If the outline business case is approved, the trust will then be expected to produce a full business case for final approval.

Social Networking

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list all Twitter accounts for which officials of his Department (a) have had and (b) currently have responsibility for (i) monitoring and (ii) updating.

Sajid Javid: HM Treasury officials have had and currently have responsibility for monitoring and updating one official Treasury Twitter account, @hmtreasury.

Ulster Bank

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has held with the Northern Ireland Finance Minister regarding the recently announced job losses at Ulster Bank;
	(2)  whether his Department's ongoing review of Ulster Bank will address the (a) company's redundancy plans and (b) retention of services in rural areas;
	(3)  what recent discussions he has held with RBS regarding staffing levels in Ulster Bank.

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what discussions he has held with his counterpart in the Department of Finance in Northern Ireland on proposed redundancies in the Ulster Bank group;
	(2)  what representations he has received on Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank and their respective role in the economy of Northern Ireland.

David Gauke: The Treasury has frequent discussions with Northern Ireland Executive on a wide range of issues of mutual interest.
	The Government's shareholdings are managed on an arm's length, commercial basis by UK Financial Investments (UKFI).
	Decisions on redundancies and on services in rural areas are commercial decisions for Ulster Bank. UKFI's role is to manage the investments, not to manage the banks' operational and commercial decisions.
	The Government will urgently review the case for transferring assets—including Ulster Bank assets—out of RBS and into a bad bank. We are reviewing whether setting up a bad bank in this way would be in the interests of the economy, including the Northern Irish economy, and in the interests of British taxpayers including those in Northern Ireland. This work will begin immediately and will report in the autumn.
	We are not suggesting changes to whole RBS entities, such as Ulster Bank, which is so vital to lending in Northern Ireland. Ulster Bank remains an important part of core RBS. And it is in the UK's national interest that Northern Ireland has a successful economy and a stable banking system.

Vending Machines

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many vending machines in his Department's premises contain snack foods that are high in calories and low in nutritional value.

David Gauke: There are six snack vending machines in 1 Horse Guards Road.
	These machines provide a range of snacks and cold drinks which include items such as dried fruits, cereal bars and rice cakes. Nutritional information is detailed on the packaging of individual items.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Members: Correspondence

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the right hon. Member for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill constituency will receive a reply to the letter dated 17 April 2013 in relation to the BBC Panorama documentary on North Korea.

Edward Vaizey: DCMS officials have contacted the MPs office, and have now obtained a copy of the letter, which did not come through to the Department when it was originally sent. A reply was sent on 5 July.

Press: Regulation

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 3 June 2013, Official Report, column 803W, on press: regulation, for what reasons the Government will not submit to the Privy Council the cross-party Royal Charter on press regulation.

Edward Vaizey: holding answer 18 June 2013
	Prior to 30 April, the Government was supporting the progression through Parliament of other elements of the cross-party agreement of 18 March, via both the Crime and Courts Bill and the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill.

Press: Regulation

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  if she will publish details of the technical amendments that she has been discussing with the Scottish Government to the Royal Charter to ensure it is operable in Scotland; which of those such amendments are still to be agreed; which of those amendments it is anticipated will not be agreed by the time the Privy Council is due to meet in July 2013; and for what reasons any such amendments will not be agreed by such time;
	(2)  when she expects to conclude discussions with the Scottish Government on the technical amendments to the cross-party Royal Charter, which was debated in the House on 18 March 2013;
	(3)  whether she expects to conclude discussions with the Scottish Government on the amendments to the cross-party Royal Charter, which was debated in the House on 18 March 2013, by the time the Privy Council is due to meet in July 2013.

Edward Vaizey: I refer to the written ministerial statement, made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Maria Miller), on 4 July.

Social Networking

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list all Twitter accounts for which officials of her Department (a) have had and (b) currently have responsibility for (i) monitoring and (ii) updating.

Edward Vaizey: The information is as follows:
	(a) DCMS updates and monitors one twitter account, @DCMS.
	(b) The Department previously ran two other London 2012-related accounts, @2012govuk and @2012govpress. These accounts are now the responsibility of the Cabinet Office.

Youth Work

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding her Department allocated for youth work in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if she will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which includes the Government Equalities Office, does not hold data in such a way that the amount specifically spent on youth work can be extracted.

HEALTH

Accident and Emergency Departments

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time in accident and emergency was in (a) Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust area and (b) England in each of the last four (i) quarters and (ii) years.

Daniel Poulter: Information showing the average waiting time in accident and emergency (A&E) in Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and England for the last four years that final annual data are available is shown in the following table. 2012-13 Quarter 4 data are not available. 2012-13 Quarters 1 to 3 are provisional data and shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Mean and median waiting time (minutes) to departure(1) at A&E in Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and England, 2008-09 to 2011-12 and the first three quarters of 2012-13 (provisional)(2): Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 
			  Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust England 
			  Mean Median Mean Median 
			 2008-09 127.7 117 135.2 115 
			 2009-10 129.2 123 133.4 120 
			 2010-11 137.3 127 144.8 128 
			 2011-12 140.1 131 137.0 123 
			 2012-13 Q1 139.1 131 135.9 123 
			 2012-13 Q2 136.1 126 133.7 122 
			 2012-13 Q3 145.2 136 142.0 129 
			 (1) The mean and median time (minutes) between the patient's arrival and their departure from A&E. (2)The data are provisional and may be incomplete or contain errors for which no adjustments have yet been made. Counts produced from provisional data are likely to be lower than those generated for the same period in the final dataset. This shortfall will be most pronounced in the final month of the latest period, i.e. November from the (month 9) April to November extract. It is also probable that clinical data are not complete, which may in particular affect the last two months of any given period. There may also be errors due to coding inconsistencies that have not yet been investigated and corrected. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre

Accident and Emergency Departments

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many patients (a) in total and (b) in each NHS trust in England waited for more than (i) four, (ii) eight, (iii) 12 and (iv) 16 hours in accident and emergency departments in (A) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12 and (C) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many patients in (a) total and (b) in each NHS trust in London accident and emergency departments waited for more than (i) four, (ii) eight, (iii) 12 and (iv) 16 hours in (A) 2010-11, (B) 2011-12 and (C) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Daniel Poulter: The information requested has been placed in the Library.
	The NHS Information Centre's Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data have been used to show the number of accident and emergency (A&E) attendances in 2010-11 and 2011-12 where patients waited more than four, eight, 12 and 16 hours. Full year HES data are not yet available for 2012-13. Therefore, information collected by NHS England for 2012-13 has been used to show the number of patients waiting more than four hours in A&E.
	However, this data set does not break down the number of patients waiting more than four hours into the categories requested.

Ambulance Services: North West

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ambulances there were in the North West Ambulance service area in (a) 1 April 1998, (b) 1 April 2010 and (c) 1 April 2012.

Daniel Poulter: The information requested is not centrally collected. The configuration of ambulance services in the North West is a matter for the local national health service. The hon. Member may wish to approach the chief executive of North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust, which may hold some relevant information.

Ancillary Staff: Halton

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many care assistants in Halton constituency are on zero hours contracts.

Norman Lamb: The Department does not collect this information centrally.
	Skills for Care, the partner in the sector skills council for social care, in England, has provided the following estimates on adult social care workers in Cheshire.
	
		
			 Estimated number of adult social care workers on zero-hours contracts in Cheshire 
			  Number 
			 Cheshire 4,200 
			 Source: Skills for Care workforce estimates 2011, NMDS SC May 2013

Cancer

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 13 May 2013, Official Report, column 39W, on cancer, what the terms of reference and timetable of the review on the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey are.

Anna Soubry: NHS England is intending to carry out a review of the entire survey programme they have gained responsibility for, including the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey, as part of their wider programme of insight work.
	NHS England has not yet finalised the scope, timeframe or terms of reference of the review, but is keen to look at where the survey programme, or any part of it might, be improved.

Cancer: Drugs

Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of patients who will have to pay for cancer drugs previously considered but not recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence after the closure of the Cancer Drugs Fund; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: We have made no such estimate.
	Where a drug is not recommended in a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence technology appraisal, it is for the relevant national health service commissioner to make a decision on its funding. Where a drug is not routinely funded, NHS commissioners are required to have in place clear and transparent arrangements for considering applications for funding, including on an exceptional basis.

Dental Services: Halton

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists there were in Halton constituency in (a) April 1998, (b) April 2010 and (c) April 2012.

Daniel Poulter: The data is not available in the format requested. The number of dentists in the former Halton primary care trust (PCT) St Helens PCT and Halton and St Helens PCT areas in 1998, 2010 and 2012 (years ending 31 March) are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Organisation 1998 2010 2012 
			 Halton PCT 39 — — 
			 St Helens PCT 63 — — 
			 Halton and St Helens PCT — 174 174 
			 Notes: 1. The data for 1998 are based on NHS dentists on PCT lists. These details were passed on to the Business Services Authority who paid dentists based on activity undertaken, which could be as little or as much NHS treatment as he or she chose or was agreed with the PCT. In some cases the 1998 data may include dentists on PCT lists who did not perform any NHS work in that period. 2. 1998 data are based on the PCT boundaries as at March 2006. As dentists could have a contract in more than one PCT, aggregating the data for the two PCTs may introduce some duplication. 3. From 2007 onwards dentists are defined as performers who have recorded NHS activity on FP17 forms during that financial year and so are not directly comparable with pre-2007 data. Source: Information Centre for Health and Social Care and NHS Dental Services of the NHS Business Services Authority.

Devolution

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library any concordats which his Department or the public bodies for which he is responsible have with the devolved Administrations.

Daniel Poulter: The Memorandum of Understanding and Supplementary Agreements, agreed in September 2012, set out principles which underlie the relationship between the UK Government and the devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. These documents are available in the Library.
	In addition, the Department has agreed concordats with the devolved Administrations and a statement of cross-border principles with Welsh Ministers. Of the Department's public bodies, NHS England has agreed a protocol on cross-border health care with Welsh Ministers; the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has an agreement with the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Northern Ireland, with respect to licensing and inspection under UK legislation relating to medicines for human use; and the Health Research Authority has published a concordat to support the career development of researchers, to which the Scottish Government Health Directorates and the Department (among others) are signatories. Copies of these documents have been placed in the Library.
	In providing this information, we have aimed to identify documents specifically called “concordats” or dealing with broad principles about relationships between the Department, or its public bodies, and the devolved Administrations. There are likely to be further agreements under different names.

Drugs: Prices

Pauline Latham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish the new pricing arrangements for branded medicines; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: The negotiations are currently on going with the pharmaceutical industry. We remain confident that the new arrangements will be ready to be implemented in January 2014.

General Practitioners

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the role of Health Education England in ensuring that GPs are trained and supported to ask patients about bowel function.

Daniel Poulter: The Government has mandated Health Education England (HEE) to provide national leadership on education, training and work force development in the national health service. This mandate includes a commitment that HEE will ensure that general practitioner (GP) training produces GPs with the required competencies to practise in the new NHS. Consequently HEE will, work with stakeholders to influence training curricula as appropriate.
	The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has not made any assessment in specific relation to the role of HEE in ensuring that GPs are trained and supported to ask patients about bowel function.

General Practitioners: Halton

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GPs there were in Halton constituency in (a) April 1998, (b) April 2010 and (c) April 2012.

Daniel Poulter: The data is not available in the format requested. The number of general practitioners (GPs) in the former North Cheshire Health Authority area in 1998 and former Halton and St Helens primary care trust (PCT) in 2010 and 2012 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Organisation 1998 2010 2012 
			 North Cheshire Health Authority 157 — — 
		
	
	
		
			 Halton and St Helens PCT — 194 202 
			 Notes: 1. The table shows data as at 1 October for 1998 and 30 September for 2010 and 2012. 2. GP workforce data is not available at constituency level. Prior to April 2013, Halton constituency was contained within and serviced by the former Halton and St Helens PCT. Prior to the existence of PCTs the area was covered by North Cheshire Health Authority, which will not be comparable to the PCT boundary. 3. The new headcount methodology from 2010 onwards means this data is not fully comparable with previous years, due to improvements that make it a more stringent count of absolute staff numbers. Further information on the headcount methodology is available in the census publication. Headcount totals are unlikely to equal the sum of components. 4. The Health and Social Care Information Centre seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data, but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses. Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre—General and Personal Medical Services Statistics.

Health Services

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of GDP is spent on health care in each EU country; and what proportion of those figures was spent on (a) private health care providers and (b) public health care providers.

Anna Soubry: The following table sets out the proportion of gross domestic product (GDP) spent on health care in European Union countries. It also gives the proportion of GDP spent on public health care and private health care.
	
		
			 Percentage 
			    Proportion of GDP spend on health care spent in: 
			 Country  GDP spent on health care public sector private sector 
			 Austria 2010 11 76.4 23.6 
			 Belgium 2010 10.5 76.2 24.8 
			 Bulgaria 2009 7.2 55.6 44.4 
			 Croatia 2010 7.8 84.6 15.4 
			 Cyprus 2010 7.4 43.2 56.8 
			 Czech Republic 2010 7.5 84.0 16.0 
			 Denmark 2010 11.1 85.6 15.3 
			 Estonia 2010 6.3 79.4 20.6 
			 Finland 2010 8.9 74.2 25.8 
			 France 2010 11.6 77.6 23.3 
			 Germany 2010 11.6 76.7 23.3 
			 Greece 2010 10.2 59.8 41.2 
			 Hungary 2010 7.8 64.1 34.6 
			 Ireland 2010 9.2 69.6 30.4 
			 Italy 2010 9.3 79.6 20.4 
			 Latvia 2009 6.8 60.3 41.2 
			 Lithuania 2010 7 72.9 28.6 
			 Luxembourg 2009 7.9 83.5 16.5 
			 Malta 2010 8.6 66.3 34.9 
			 Netherlands 2010 12 80.0 13.3 
			 Poland 2010 7 71.4 27.1 
			 Portugal 2010 10.7 66.4 34.6 
			 Romania 2010 6 80.0 20.0 
			 Slovakia 2010 9 64.4 35,6 
			 Slovenia 2010 9 73.3 27.8 
			 Spain 2010 9.6 74.0 26.0 
		
	
	
		
			 Sweden 2010 9.6 80.2 18.8 
			 United Kingdom 2010 9.6 83.3 16.7 
			 Notes: 1. Netherlands: It is not possible to clearly distinguish the public and private share related to investments. 2. Belgium: Public and private expenditure are current expenditures (excluding investments). 3. Luxembourg: Health expenditure is for the insured population rather than the resident population. Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Health at a Glance 2012. Copyright OECD 2012. www.oecd.org/els/health-systems/HealthAtAGlanceEurope2012.pdf

Health Services: Disability

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent assessment his Department has made of the standard of care reviews conducted on in-patients with learning disabilities and autism;
	(2)  what steps he has taken to ensure the independence of those professionals who conduct care reviews of the in-patients with learning disabilities and autism;
	(3)  what proportion of the in-patients with learning disabilities and autism whose care has recently been reviewed have been recommended to (a) move into the community and (b) remain as in-patients;
	(4)  how many former patients of Winterbourne View Hospital have been moved to community-based settings within 20 miles of their original family homes.

Norman Lamb: NHS England is working with partners to ensure that reviews for all people in learning disability or autism inpatient assessment and treatment services have been completed in line with the commitments made in the Concordat: Programme of Action. 1,317 patients in inpatient assessment and treatment services have been identified for review by clinical commissioning groups and 97% of these reviews have been completed. The outstanding reviews will be completed by 31 July 2013. Further work is under way to ensure all reviews have been completed of patients in secure Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service services funded by NHS England and to ensure that reviews have been conducted satisfactorily. People who use services, their families and the organisations that represent them will be involved in the governance of the assurance process to ensure transparency and independence.
	We do not hold information centrally on the proportion of in-patients with learning disabilities and autism for whom a move has been recommended into the community and those who will remain in in-patient settings. Government policy is clear that hospitals are not homes and that all individuals receive personalised care and support in appropriate community settings no later than 1 June 2014. NHS England and the Local Government Association, through the Joint Improvement Programme set up under ‘Transforming Care’, are working with local areas to make sure everyone gets the individual care that they need. The Winterbourne View Joint Improvement Programme is currently undertaking a stocktake; information gathered by NHS England alongside other data from partners will be triangulated to support the monitoring of progress so that individuals move into the community and do not remain in hospital inappropriately.
	NHS England collects anonymised reports provided by commissioners relating to the 48 former patients of Winterbourne View. The last data collection identified that of the 48 former patients, 34 were in social care settings and 14 in health settings (a further data collection has recently been completed, and is awaiting analysis). The current information collected does not include distance from original family homes; however, of the 14 patients in health settings as of the 1 March 2013, 13 were in placements defined as out of area. As part of the assurance process NHS England, working with the Winterbourne View Joint Improvement Programme and key stakeholders, will be looking at the reviews undertaken for these individuals to ensure they are robust.

Hospices

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much non-capital funding he provided in England for hospices in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: The Department does not provide funding directly to adult hospices for palliative care. Services from hospices are commissioned by local commissioners, and decisions on how much money is allocated to hospices remain with them.
	The Government made £19 million available in 2010-11 to the children's hospice sector to support more than 342 projects to develop local children's palliative care services. This money helped to fund a range of innovative projects.
	The Government also provided £10 million revenue funding annually to children’s hospices in 2011-12 and 2012-13, with an extra £721,000 in 2012-13 for new hospices or hospice at home services. 40 children's hospices currently benefit from the grant.
	In 2012-13 the Department provided non-capital funding to support the palliative care funding pilots, which are collecting the data needed to help us develop the new per-patient funding system for palliative care, a system we want in place by 2015.
	The figures for this were £102,335 St Christophers, £78,147 Heart of Kent and £50,000 for Acorns Children's hospice. This money was to support data collection, rather than being spent on direct patient care.
	In addition to the above, other funding has been provided to hospices under the Social Enterprise Investment Fund (SEIF) and also under the Innovation, Excellence and Strategic Development Fund (IESD) for specific projects. The funding received by hospices from the SEIF is set out in Table 1.
	
		
			 Table 1: Organisations receiving from the Social Enterprise Investment Fund (SEIF) 
			 £ 
			 Organisation 2010-11 SEIF 2011-12 SEIF 2012-13 SEIF 
			 Birmingham St Mary's Hospice 175,346 — — 
			 Cornwall Hospice Care 154,980 — — 
			 Dame Hannah Rogers Trust 410,000 — — 
			 Donna Louise Trust (The) 81,053 — — 
			 East Cheshire Hospice 450,000 — — 
			 John Taylor Hospice 355,380 915,113 — 
			 Norfolk Hospice (The) 106,463 — — 
			 St Catherine's Hospice (Lancashire) Ltd 273,900 150,000 — 
			 St Joseph's Hospice Association 128,000 — — 
			 St Oswald's Hospice Ltd. 450,750 — — 
			 Trinity Hospice 130,000 — — 
		
	
	The IESD provides funding for proposals in the health and care field, supporting projects with the potential for national impact in line the Department's objectives of better health and wellbeing and better care for all.
	The following sums were awarded to hospices to deliver specific projects:
	
		
			 Table 2: Organisations receiving from the IESD 
			  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Sue Ryder Care 'Hospice Apprentice Project' 96,920 94,497 — 
			 Together for Short Lives 'Strategic Partnership with Children's Hospices UK' 68,517 65,167 — 
			 St Luke's Hospice, Plymouth ‘Volunteering in Partnership: enhancing the personalisation and quality of life for the vulnerable person across health and social care settings’ — — 104,944

Hospitals: Waiting Lists

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time for an operation in (a) Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust area and (b) England was in each of the last four (i) quarters and (ii) years.

Daniel Poulter: Data on average waiting times for an operation on a quarterly and annual basis is not readily available as it is not collected in this way. It is collected on a monthly basis. Information on the average time waited in weeks, for patients that started treatment that required admission during the month for Barnsley hospital NHS Foundation Trust area and England in each of the last four years are in the following tables:
	
		
			 Referral to Treatment (RTT) Waiting Times, average (median) time waited (in weeks) for patients that started admitted treatment during the month (admitted adjusted RTT pathways) 
			  2009 2010 
			  April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar 
			 Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 6.7 6.8 6.5 6.1 6.3 7.0 6.2 6.4 6.2 6.9 6.2 5.4 
		
	
	
		
			 England 7.7 8.1 8.0 7.8 7.9 8.3 8.1 7.9 7.7 8.7 9.1 8.0 
		
	
	
		
			  2010 2011 
			  April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar 
			 Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 5.7 5.7 6.4 6.1 6.8 7.2 7.4 7.0 6.9 8.1 7.6 6.6 
			 England 8.0 8.4 8.3 8.3 8.3 8.7 8.7 8.3 7.9 9.1 9.0 7.9 
		
	
	
		
			  2011 2012 
			  April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar 
			 Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 7.1 9.3 10.2 9.7 9.6 10.4 10.5 9.4 10.0 11.2 10.4 9.9 
			 England 7.7 8.4 8.7 8.2 8.1 8.8 8.4 8.1 7.8 8.8 8.7 8.1 
		
	
	
		
			  2012 2013 
			  April May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar 
			 Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 9.3 9.3 11.5 10.1 10.1 10.3 10.6 9.4 8.6 11.1 10.6 10.4 
			 England 8.1 8.4 8.4 8.5 8.3 8.8 8.6 8.3 8.0 9.2 9.2 8.2 
		
	
	
		
			  April 2013 
			 Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 9.5 
			 England 8.5 
			 Note: Data is collected monthly, quarterly data is not available. Admitted pathways are those completed (patients who started treatment) in the month. Source. NHS England Referral to Treatment Waiting times return: www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/rtt-waiting-times/

Jimmy Savile

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Kirkup investigation into the involvement of Jimmy Savile at Broadmoor hospital will report; and who will receive this report.

Norman Lamb: The Department and West London Mental Health Trust's joint investigation into Jimmy Savile's activities at Broadmoor hospital is being led by Bill Kirkup.
	In October 2012, the Secretary of State for Health, the right hon. Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), appointed Kate Lampard—a former practising barrister and former deputy chair of the Financial Ombudsman Service—to oversee the three investigations of Jimmy Savile's involvement with the national health service to ensure a robust process is followed.
	It is anticipated that the investigations will be completed and the final report published by the end of the year. The Department will receive the final report.

Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

David Nuttall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the income of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency was provided by the Government in each of the last three years.

Norman Lamb: The sums provided to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) by the Department are disclosed in the MHRA’s report and accounts for the relevant years which were laid before Parliament.
	The proportions of revenue from the Department as a percentage of MHRA total revenue in each of the last three years for which published information is available are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Revenue from Department of Health 
			  Percentage 
			 2011-12 8.7 
			 2010-11 9.0 
			 2009-10 10.2 
		
	
	The agency has not yet published its report and accounts for 2012-13.

Neurofibromatosis

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on future levels of funding for research into neurofibromatosis.

Daniel Poulter: Total spend in future years by the Department's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) on research relating to neurofibromatosis depends on the volume and quality of scientific activity. The usual practice of the NIHR is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics: research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including neurofibromatosis. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the scientific quality of the proposals made.
	In 2012-13, the NIHR spent £0.1 million on research on neurofibromatosis type 1 through its biomedical research centres. Total spend by the NIHR on research on neurofibromatosis is higher than this because expenditure by the NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) on this topic cannot be disaggregated from total CRN expenditure.

NHS: Innovation

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the progress made by Sir David Nicholson in encouraging a culture change towards innovation within the NHS.

Daniel Poulter: NHS England has put a number of measures in place to ensure that the national health service moves towards a culture change regarding innovation.
	The 2013 NHS Mandate sets out the objective of NHS England's Board to ensure that the new commissioning system promotes and supports the participation of the NHS in innovation and research.
	In 2012 the NHS identified 108 innovations as having high impact potential. Many of these innovations now feature in requirements for trusts to focus on as part of their Commissioning for Quality and Innovation incentives for 2014-15.
	The NHS is also increasing transparency of uptake of National Institute for Care Excellence technology appraisals through publication of a new innovation scorecard. The new scorecard provides patients and the public with information on the treatments available within their local hospitals and NHS services.
	The Specialised Services Commissioning Innovation Fund will be launched in summer 2013, inviting organisations and industry partners to bid for funding to identify innovations with the potential to deliver high impact change (based on patient outcomes and cost/efficiency savings) within specialised services and then funding evaluation projects within the NHS that will assess whether the full potential can be realised.
	NHS England is also collaborating with the Centre for Integrating Medicine and Innovative Technologies (CIMIT) in Boston with a view to adopting their innovation platform CIMIT Co-LAB as the primary web portal for sharing ideas and innovations across England.

NHS: Negligence

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the effects of medical litigation on medical innovation.

Daniel Poulter: No assessment has been made. It is the Department's view that no assessment is required as no changes are required in this area. The current legal arrangements allow for doctors to initiate novel treatments as long as they are done in the best interest of the patient and with patient consent. What the law does impose is a requirement for new forms of treatment to be vigorously tested before being introduced.

NHS: Negligence

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department gives to doctors on the risks of prosecution for medical negligence if they deviate from standard procedures.

Daniel Poulter: The Government is not in a position to give legal guidance to doctors. The law allows doctors to initiate novel treatments which may require them to deviate from standard procedure, as long as they are done in the best interests of the patient and with patient consent.

NHS: Negligence

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the effects of current laws on medical negligence on scientific discoveries in cancer.

Daniel Poulter: The Government has not made any assessment into the impact of the current law on medical negligence on scientific discovery in cancer. It is the Department's view, that no additional legislation is required in this area. The current legal arrangements allow for doctors to initiate novel treatments as long as they are done in the best interests of the patient and with patient consent.

Organs: Donors

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) assessment he has made and (b) reports he has received on whether a change to a presumed consent system of organ donation will increase levels of donation.

Anna Soubry: The independent Organ Donation Taskforce was asked in 2006 to identify barriers to organ donation and to recommend what action needed to be taken to increase organ donation and procurement, within the current legal framework. In January 2008, the Taskforce published its first report 'Organs for Transplants' and also looked at the potential for the introduction of a presumed consent system in the United Kingdom. They recognised, after extensive public dialogue, that this is a sensitive issue that generates strong feelings both for and against. They recommended against the introduction of opt-out, concluding that while such a system might have the potential to deliver benefits, it would present significant challenges, which might not be necessary to deliver the desired increase in organ donation rates. On balance the Taskforce recommended that effort and resources be focused on the implementation of their 14 recommendations.

Public Health England

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much Public Health England has spent to date on Project Chrysalis, now the Public Health England Science hub; what the breakdown of those costs is; and how much was paid to secure the GSK site in Harlow to retain the option of future purchase.

Anna Soubry: Public Health England has taken over the programme from 1 April 2013 and so the majority of the costs incurred on the Chrysalis Project was by the Health Protection Agency. A total of £17 million (excluding VAT) has been incurred on the programme since its inception.
	This Department funded expenditure dates back to 2008-09 when the programme was formed. It has covered programme core team/due diligence/programme wide costs (£10 million) and the specialist external professional services required for project level design and business case development (£7 million). Since 1 April 2013, when Public Health England (PHE) inherited the programme, a total of £300,000 has been spent, with the residue incurred during Health Protection Agency ownership.
	The terms under which the land would be required from GlaxoSmithKline remain under discussion with the site's owner although agreement is expected imminently.
	The release of the detailed financial arrangements would prejudice commercial interests. The associated discussions and contract are explicitly covered by a requirement for confidentiality on both parties.

Social Networking

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all Twitter accounts for which officials of his Department (a) have had and (b) currently have responsibility for (i) monitoring and (ii) updating.

Daniel Poulter: The Department has two official corporate Twitter accounts which are monitored and updated on a daily basis:
	@DHgovuk
	and
	@depthealthpress
	The Department also has guidance for officials and Ministers who tweet in an official capacity. This guidance is in line with the Civil Service Code, and is published on the Department's website:
	http://digitalhealth.dh.gov.uk/twitter-guidance/
	Officials who use Twitter in an official capacity have responsibility for monitoring and updating their own Twitter accounts.
	A list of currently active official Twitter accounts is available publicly online:
	https://twitter.com/hmshale/dh-official-tweets/members

Social Services

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the number of people in the care sector employed on zero hours contracts in each English region in each of the last five years.

Norman Lamb: The Department does not collect this information centrally.
	Skills for Care, the partner in the sector skills council for social care, in England, has provided the following estimates on adult social care workers in each English region for the last three years. The number of workers in the national minimum data set for social care pre-2011 was not large enough to make robust estimates given the timescales, however initial exploration of the data suggests that, for these years, the proportion on zero-hours contracts was lower than in 2011.
	
		
			 Estimated number of adult social care workers on zero-hours contracts, by each English region between 2011-13 
			  Estimated total number of workers on zero-hours contracts 
			 Region 2011 2012 2013 
			 Eastern 34,000 38,000 41,000 
			 East Midlands 20,000 21,000 23,000 
			 London 43,000 49,000 56,000 
		
	
	
		
			 North East 13,000 13,000 17,000 
			 North West 29,000 31,000 37,000 
			 South East 43,000 44,000 50,000 
			 South West 27,000 25,000 27,000 
			 West Midlands 24,000 26,000 30,000 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 24,000 24,000 27,000 
			 England 258,000 270,000 307,000 
			 Sources: Skills for Care workforce estimates 2011, NMDS-SC May 2013, 2012 and 2011.

Surgery: Older People

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many (a) colorectal excision, (b) breast excision, (c) hip replacement, (d) knee replacement, (e) inguinal hernia repair, (f) cholecystectomy and (g) open excision of the prostate procedures were carried out in England among people aged 65 and over in (i) 2001-02 and (ii) 2011-12 by (A) primary care trust area of responsibility and (B) current clinical commissioning group area of responsibility;
	(2)  how many (a) colorectal excision, (b) breast excision, (c) hip replacement, (d) knee replacement, (e) inguinal hernia repair, (f) cholecystectomy and (g) open excision of the prostate procedures were carried out in England among people aged 75 and over in (i) 2001-02 and (ii) 2011-12 by (A) primary care trust area of responsibility and (B) current clinical commissioning group area of responsibility.

Daniel Poulter: Information on the numbers of (a) colorectal excision, (b) breast excision, (c) hip replacement, (d) knee replacement, (e) inguinal hernia repair, (f) cholecystectomy and (g)open excision of the prostate procedures carried out in England among people aged 75 and over and people aged 65 and over in (i) 2001-02 and (ii) 2011-12 by primary care trust area of responsibility has been placed in the Library. This information by current clinical commissioning group area of responsibility is not available.

University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the terms of reference are for the investigation by Dr Bill Kirkup into the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust; and when he expects the investigation to commence.

Daniel Poulter: Dr Bill Kirkup CBE has agreed to chair the independent investigation into Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust. The terms of reference for the investigation will be published once they are finalised. Commencement will follow the finalisation of the terms of reference.

University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations (a) he and (b) his Department received regarding University Hospitals Morecambe Bay NHS Trust prior to May 2010.

Daniel Poulter: Records are available from August 2005. A search of the Department’s ministerial correspondence database has identified 386 items of correspondence received before May 2010 about University Hospitals Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust covering a range of issues. This is a minimum figure which represents correspondence received by the Department’s ministerial correspondence unit only. The following table shows the 386 items of correspondence split by year due for answer.
	
		
			 Year due Items of correspondence 
			 2005 7 
			 2006 221 
			 2007 52 
			 2008 86 
			 2009 18 
			 2010 2

CABINET OFFICE

British Nationals Abroad: EU Countries

Julian Huppert: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many British citizens reside in other EU countries (a) by country and (b) by status of their residence (working, studying or retired).

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated July 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many British citizens reside in other EU countries (a) by country and (b) by status of their residence (working, studying or retired) (163538).
	The ONS does not collect information regarding British citizens resident in other EU countries, or on the status of their residence. However, Eurostat publishes figures on population by citizenship for EU countries, these are available at:
	http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/population/data/database
	ONS produces estimates of Long-Term International Migration flows which are primarily based on the International Passenger Survey (IPS). Detailed information on countries of next residence of emigrants from the UK is available for 1975 to 2011 using the IPS component of these estimates. Published estimates on the Top 10 countries of next residence for emigrants who are British citizens can be found in our Series 3 tables (3.20b) on the ONS website at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/migration1/long-term-international-migration/2011/3-20abc-ips-top-countries-of-last-or-next-residence-by-citizenship--1975-2011.xls

Buildings

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how many times Northcote House, Sunningdale Park was used by (a) ministers, (b) officials and (c) staff of non-departmental public bodies in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what plans he has for the disposal of Northcote House, Sunningdale Park; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how much maintenance of Northcote House, Sunningdale Park cost in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Chloe Smith: The previous Government entered into a 30 year PFI agreement in May 2002, which provided capital investment into the Sunningdale Park site. The Civil Service College, later the National School of Government, used the site and paid an annual sum for the space used on the site. The charge for Northcote House was not assessed separately.
	Data is not held centrally on which individuals used Northcote House.
	The Cabinet Office is currently undertaking a review of the Sunningdale Park site, including Northcote House, as there is an opportunity to dispose of the site in 2017. The Cabinet Office is holding a Public Consultation Event with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead and the local community on 19 and 20 July to discuss the site and options for the future use. Cabinet Office will announce any decisions in the usual way.

Business: Staff

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will estimate the number of staff employed by small businesses in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated July 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the number of staff employed by small businesses in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012.
	Annual employment statistics from 2008 onwards are available from the Business Register and Employment Survey (BRES). Table 1 contains an estimate of the number employed in small enterprises (less than 50 employment) for 2010 and 2011. The figures for 2012 will be available from the end of September 2013.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
	
		
			 Table 1: Number employed in small enterprises; UK; 2010 and 2011 
			  Employment 
			 2010 8,028,000 
			 2011 8,307,000 
			 Note: Small enterprises are defined as those with employment of less than 50

Business: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many businesses there were in (a) York Central constituency and (b) City of York local authority area in each year since 1995-96.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated July 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills asking how many businesses there were in (a) York central constituency and (b) City of York local authority in each year since 1995-96.(163895]
	Annual statistics on the number of businesses (enterprises) are available from the ONS release—UK Business: Activity, Size and Location at
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/bus-register/uk-business/index.html
	Data on the number of enterprises broken down by districts, counties and unitary authorities can be found in table B1.2 of the publication and data on constituencies can be found in table B6.2.
	Data are available only from 2001 to 2012. Data for 2013 will be available in October 2013.
	The table shows the number of enterprises in York Central Constituency/City of York Constituency and York Unitary Authority from 2001 to 2012.
	
		
			 Count of Enterprises in York Central Constituency (City of York Constituency prior to 2010) and York Unitary Authority from 2001 to 2012 
			  2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 York Central Constituency — — — — — — — — — 2,715 2,685 2,745 
			 City of York Constituency 2,701 2,712 2,705 2,725 2,845 2,865 2,915 3,000 3,015 — — — 
			              
			 York Unitary Authority 4,759 4,776 4,945 5,090 5,325 5,480 5,690 5,740 5,820 5,745 5,700 5,815 
			 Notes: 1. The above table has been produced using an extract from the Inter Departmental Business Register. 2. Figures have been rounded to protect confidentiality. 3. These numbers do not include very small businesses, typically those below the threshold far VAT and PAYE.

Charity Commission

Mark Garnier: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will take steps to clarify and reinforce the objectives of the Charity Commission.

Nick Hurd: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for North West Leicestershire (Andrew Bridgen) on 17 June 2013, Official Report, column 511W.

Childbirth

Andrew George: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many (a) male and (b) female live births there have been in (i) England as a whole and (ii) each region of England in each month since January 2001.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many (a) male and (b) female live births there were in i) England as a whole and ii) each region of England in each month since January 2001 (164256)
	The table shows the number of live births to mothers usually resident in England and regions of England, by month of occurrence for 2001-2011.
	A copy of the table has been placed in the Library of the House.

Civil Servants: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how many full-time equivalent civil servants were employed in the City of York (a) in total and (b) by each Government Department or agency in each year since 1995-96;
	(2)  what estimate the UK Statistics Authority has made of the number of full-time equivalent civil servants employed in (a) the City of York and (b) the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs central science laboratory at Sand Hutton on 31 March in each year since 1997.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated July 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your two recent Parliamentary Questions, asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office,
	how many full-time equivalent civil servants were employed in the City of York (a) in total and (b) by each government department or agency in each year since 1995-96 (163887), and
	what estimate the UK Statistics Authority has made of the number of full-time equivalent civil servants employed in (a) the City of York and (b) the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs central science laboratory at Sand Hutton on 31 March in each year since 1997 (163888)
	Both of these have been answered together and the data requested are in the table.
	For the purpose of this information, York is defined by the Nomenclature of Units for Territorial Standards (NUTs) Level 3, and may differ from the City of York. However, data is not available for York prior to 2008, as it was then only collected at regional level. Therefore the information has just been provided for the years 2008-2012 inclusive.
	
		
			 Civil Service employment in York 2008-2012(1, 2, 3, 4). All employees 
			 Full time equivalent 
			 Department(5) 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
			 Attorney General’s Departments 200 320 340 330 300 
			 Defence (Ministry of) 650 680 710 630 520 
			 Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Department for) 560 400 380 370 330 
			 Health (Department of) 90 90 80 100 80 
			 HM Revenue and Customs 200 180 180 170 150 
			 Justice (Ministry of) 260 250 190 150 170 
		
	
	
		
			 Transport (Department for) 10 10 20 20 20 
			 Work and Pensions (Department for) 320 490 490 420 400 
			       
			 Total 2,290 2,420 2,390 2,190 1,970 
			       
			 Employment at DEFRA central science laboratory at Sand Hutton(6) 640 670 720 640 640 
			 (1) Numbers are rounded to the nearest ten, and cells containing between one and five employees are represented by”..”. (2) York is defined by the Nomenclature of Units for Territorial Standards, Level 3; this may not be the same as the City of York. (3 )Departments with employment greater than 5 in any one year are represented. (4) Information at regional level (Yorkshire and Humberside) covering 1995-2010 is held by the National Archive. (5 )Agencies may move departments over time. This is reflected by some year on year departmental changes. (6 )Represented by all Civil Service employment at postcode YO41 1LZ, which is outside the boundaries of York. Source: Annual Civil Service Employment Survey

Data Protection

Julian Huppert: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what happens to information held by private companies undertaking government contracts at the point of termination.

Chloe Smith: Under Government contract standard terms and conditions suppliers are required, as part of exit obligations, to return all Government data and erase it from their systems on termination.

Death

David Amess: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many deaths (a) in Southend, (b) in Essex and (c) nationally were attributed to an individual being (i) overweight and (ii) underweight in each year since 2011.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated July 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths (a) in Southend, (b) in Essex and (c) nationally were attributed to an individual being (i) overweight and (ii) underweight in each year since 2011. (164209)
	The terms “overweight” and “underweight” are not normally used in the registration of deaths. Consequently, figures can only be provided for deaths recorded using the medically recognised terms “obesity” and “malnutrition” or “effects of hunger”. The number of deaths so recorded is unlikely to be a complete or accurate reflection of the actual numbers of deaths which result, directly or indirectly, from being overweight or underweight.
	The tables attached provide the number of deaths where obesity or malnutrition were the underlying cause of death (Table 1), and where obesity or malnutrition or effects of hunger were mentioned on the death certificate, either as the underlying cause or as a contributory factor (Table 2), for (a) Southend-on-Sea unitary authority, (b) Essex county and (c) England and Wales, for 2011 (the latest year available). Data for deaths registered in 2012 will be available after 10 July 2013.
	Malnutrition is rarely the underlying cause of death, as people with malnutrition or effects of hunger mentioned on their death certificate often have another serious illness, and it is this illness that is the underlying cause of death. For example they may have cancer of the digestive tract, which means they can't eat properly or can't absorb nutrients; they may have suffered from a stroke or have advanced dementia which can cause difficulties chewing and swallowing; or they may abuse alcohol and so not eat properly.
	The number of deaths registered in England and Wales each year by sex, age and cause are published annually on the ONS website at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/mortality-statistics--deaths-registered-in-england-and-wales--series-dr-/index.html
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of deaths where obesity or malnutrition was the underlying cause of death, Southend-on-Sea unitary authority, Essex county, and England and Wales, 2011(1,2,3,4) 
			 Deaths (persons) 
			 Cause Southend-on-Sea Essex England and Wales 
			 Obesity 1 17 354 
			 Malnutrition 0 2 65 
			 (1 )Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases. Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes E66 (obesity) and E40-E46 (malnutrition). (2) Based on boundaries as of 2013. (3) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (4) Figures are for deaths registered 2011. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Number of deaths where obesity, malnutrition or effects of hunger were mentioned on the death certificate, Southend-on-Sea unitary authority, Essex county, and England and Wales, 2011(1,2,3,4) 
			 Deaths (persons) 
			 Cause Southend-on-Sea Essex England arid Wales 
			 Obesity 5 64 1,950 
			 Malnutrition or effects of hunger 0 9 383 
			 (1 )Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes E66 (obesity), E40-E46 (malnutrition) and T73.0 (effects of hunger). Deaths were included where these causes was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate, cither as the underlying cause or as a contributory factor. Effects of hunger can only ever be recorded as a contributory factor. Figures in Table 1 are therefore included in the figures in Table 2. (2) Based on boundaries as of 2013. (3) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (4) Figures are for deaths registered in 2011.

Death: Drugs

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many deaths there were from (a) drug poisoning and (b) drug misuse in (i) York local authority area, (ii) North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust, (iii) Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group area and (iv) England in each year since 2009.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated July 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question to the Minister for the Cabinet Office asking how many deaths there were from (a) drug poisoning and (b) drug misuse in (i) York local authority area, (ii) North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust, (iii) Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group area and (iv) England in each year since 2009. (163924)
	The tables provide the information requested, for deaths registered between 2009 and 2011 (the latest year available).
	The number of drug-related deaths registered in England and Wales from 1993 to 2011 are available on the ONS website:
	www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/subnational-health3/deaths-related-to-drug-poisoning/index.html
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of deaths where the underlying cause was related to drug poisoning, selected areas in England, deaths registered 2009 to 2011(1,2,3) 
			 Deaths (persons) 
			 Area 2009 2010 2011 
			 York unitary authority 8 11 15 
			 North Yorkshire and York primary care trust 34 34 34 
			 NHS Vale of York clinical commissioning group 10 14 18 
			 England 2,675 2,509 2,425 
			 Notes: 1. Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes shown in Box 1. 2. Figures are based on boundaries as at May 2013 and exclude deaths of non-residents. 3. Figures are based on deaths registered rather than deaths occurring between 2009 and 2011. Due to the length of time it takes to hold an inquest, it can take months for a drug-related death to be registered. Additional information on registration delays for drug-related deaths can be found in the annual statistical bulletin: www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/subnational-health3/deaths-related-to-drug-poisoning/index.html 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Number of deaths related to drug misuse, selected areas in England, deaths registered 2009 to 2011(1,2,3) 
			 Deaths (persons) 
			 Area 2009 2010 2011 
			 York unitary authority 5 10 13 
			 North Yorkshire and York primary care trust 23 25 26 
			 NHS Vale of York clinical commissioning group 7 11 15 
			 England 1,731 1,625 1,461 
			 1. Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases. Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Deaths were included where the underlying cause was due to drug poisoning and where a drug controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 was mentioned on the death certificate. More details on the definition of a death related to drug misuse can be found in the background notes of the 'Deaths related to drug poisoning in England and Wales" statistical bulletin: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/subnational-health3/deaths-related-to-drug-poisoning/index.html 2. Figures for drug misuse shown in Table 2 are included in the figures for all drug poisonings in Table 1. 3. Figures are based on boundaries as at May 2013 and exclude deaths of non-residents. 4. Figures are based on deaths registered, rather than deaths occurring between 2009 and 2011. Due to the length of time it takes to hold an inquest, it can take months for a drug-related death to be registered. Additional information on registration delays for drug-related deaths can be found in the annual statistical bulletin: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/subnational-health3/deaths-related-to-drug-poisoning/index.html 
		
	
	
		
			 Box 1: International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes used to define deaths related to drug poisoning 
			 Description ICD 10 Codes 
			 Mental and behavioural disorders due to drug use (excluding alcohol and tobacco) F11-F16, F18-F19 
			 Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances X40-X44 
			 Intentional self-poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances X60-X64 
			 Assault by drugs, medicaments and biological substances X85 
		
	
	
		
			 Poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances, undetermined intent Y10-Y14

Equality

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he published his Diversity Action Plan for his Department; and what progress has been made since then on its implementation.

Francis Maude: The Cabinet Office Diversity and Inclusion Strategy is available at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/cabinet-office/about/equality-and-diversity
	Diversity information is also available at the same link.

Personal Income: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate the UK Statistics Authority has made of the average net weekly equivalised household income in (a) City of York Council area and (b) York Central constituency in each year since 2006-07 in (i) cash terms and (ii) at 2013 prices.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated July 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question to the Minister for the Cabinet Office asking what estimate the UK Statistics Authority has made of the average net weekly equivalised household income in (a) City of York Council area and (b) York Central constituency in each year since 2006-07 in (i) cash terms and (ii) at 2013 prices. (163890)
	Unfortunately these statistics are not produced annually. Table 1 shows the information requested for the year 2007/08, the latest period for which data are available, in cash terms and 2012 prices. These figures are based on small area income estimates published by the ONS. The data in the table have been adjusted to 2012 prices, the latest available, using the implied expenditure deflator for the household sector.
	These estimates, as with any involving sample surveys, are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	The next year for which ONS small area income estimates will be available will be 2011/12. The release date for these statistics has not yet been finalised, but it is anticipated that they will be released in early 2014.
	
		
			 Table 1: Average net weekly equivalised household income in the city of York council and York central parliamentary constituency areas, 2007/08(1, 2) 
			 £ per week 
			  City of York council York central parliamentary constituency 
			  Mean income Mean income 
			  Before housing costs(3) After housing costs(3) Before housing costs(3) After housing costs(3) 
			 (i) In cash terms 480 400 460 370 
			 (ii) In 2012 prices 560 470 530 430 
			 (1) Incomes are presented net of income tax payments, national insurance contributions and council tax. (2) Figures rounded to the nearest £10. (3) Housing costs include rent (gross of housing benefit), water charges, mortgage interest payments, structural insurance, ground rent and service charges. Source: Office for National Statistics.

Public Expenditure

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the equality impact of his Department's spending reductions since 2010; whether this assessment has been used to inform his planning ahead of the 2013 comprehensive spending review and with what result; what plans he has to publish the equality impact assessments undertaken by his Department as a result of the upcoming comprehensive spending review; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: The Cabinet Office is a Department which primarily has an impact across Government and therefore, as was the case with previous spending reviews, equality impact assessments were not conducted.
	The Office for Civil Society has completed an equality impact assessment for the National Citizen Service (covering the years 2011 to 2014). This has informed the design of the programme.

Sick Leave

Mike Freer: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many days on average staff of his Department in each pay grade were absent from work as a result of ill health in each of the last 12 months.

Francis Maude: Information about sickness absence in the Cabinet Office and its agencies is published on the Cabinet Office website at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cabinet-office-absence-data
	Aggregated figures for the whole civil service are published at:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/improving/health-and-wellbeing/sickness-absence
	The most recent published figures show that for the year to 31 March 2013 the Cabinet Office has one of the lowest departmental sickness rates at 2.7 average working days lost when compared to the current civil service average of 7.7.
	Across the civil service we use various techniques, for example early occupational health referrals and return to work interviews, to manage sickness absence and this has produced positive results.

Social Networking

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list all Twitter accounts for which officials of his Department (a) have had and (b) currently have responsibility for (i) monitoring and (ii) updating.

Nick Hurd: The official Twitter accounts that officials across Cabinet Office have responsibility for monitoring and updating since May 2010 are as follows:
	@CabinetOfficeUK
	@Number10gov
	@Number10press
	@dpmoffice
	@G8
	@UKtransparency
	@socimpactbonds
	@uktransparency
	@ukcivilservice
	@CommissioningAc
	@UKResilience
	@odugUK
	@mutualsgovuk
	@SMECrownRep
	@gdsteam
	@DataGovUK
	@GOVUK
	@UKgovcomms
	@G_Cloud_UK
	@Jobs_at_GDS
	@SirBobKerslake

Universal Credit

Liam Byrne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will publish the grounds on which the Major Projects Authority gave universal credit amber-red status.

Chloe Smith: holding answer 13 June 2013
	The Government has published the Major Projects Authority Annual Report which, for the first time, sets out the delivery confidence ratings of its major projects, something that no previous Government has done before.
	Details on specific projects will not be published, yet departmental specific data is available here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-major-projects-portfolio-data-for-dwp-2013
	The report also contains reasons why the ratings have been applied, the status of each project and the definitions of the delivery confidence ratings. A copy of the report is available here:
	http://engage.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/major-projects-authority/

Vending Machines

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many vending machines in his Department's premises contain snack foods that are high in calories and low in nutritional value.

Chloe Smith: holding answer 4 July 2013
	There are seven vending machines on Cabinet Office premises. The machines offer a variety of drinks and snacks. Five of the machines, which are on the London estate, are owned and managed by our Facilities Management provider. The remaining two, in Roseberry Court, Norwich, are owned and managed by a local vending machine provider.
	In both locations, the arrangements were signed under the previous Government.
	I do not think asking civil servants to analyse the nutritional contents of the drinks and snacks on offer is an appropriate use of public funds.

Youth Services

Tim Loughton: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  for what reasons he has not yet published the Positive for Youth, One Year On progress report due in December 2012;
	(2)  what responsibility his Department will retain for the UK Youth Parliament; and what projected grants payments there are from his or any successor Department;
	(3)  when the Youth Action Group last met; and if he will publish the minutes;
	(4)  what his plans are for the future of the inter-departmental Youth Action Group; and who will chair it;

Nick Hurd: The Prime Minister announced on 3 July 2013, Official Report, column 58WS, that the Cabinet Office is assuming cross-Government responsibility for youth strategy and policy. Alongside this announcement the Cabinet Office and the Department for Education jointly published the progress report on Positive for Youth. This can be found on Gov.uk at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/positive-for-youth-progress-since-december-2011
	The Youth Voice programme, which is delivered by the British Youth Council with grant funding of £666,000 between 2013 and 2015 from the Department for Education, includes provision for the UK Youth Parliament, the National Scrutiny Group and the Youth Select Committee. The Cabinet Office will assume responsibility for the Youth Voice programme and grant.
	The Youth Action Group last met on 20 March 2013 and the Department for Education published the minutes shortly afterwards. It will next meet on 9 July 2013 when I will assume the role of co-chair. Martina Milburn, chief executive of The Prince's Trust, will continue to co-chair the group.

JUSTICE

Financial Services: Crime

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions he has had with the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Director of the Serious Fraud Office on the feasibility of introducing an offence of reckless management of a financial institution.

Greg Clark: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Treasury.
	The Government has today responded to the final report of the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards (Cm 8661). The report made a wide range of recommendations, many of which will be taken forward as part of the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Bill, which receives its Report stage in the Commons today and tomorrow.
	I have written to the Chairman, my hon. Friend the Member for Chichester (Mr Tyrie), to thank him and the Commission for their work. The Government accepts the Commission's recommendation for the introduction of a new criminal offence of reckless misconduct in the management of a bank, and the necessary provision will be made as the legislation progresses.
	Treasury Ministers and officials engage with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to release details of such meetings.

Human Trafficking

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  if he will request the Salvation Army, as part of its contract for support services to adult victims of human trafficking (a) to collect, from 1 August 2013, additional data each month on the countries in which those subject to trafficking are first identified and (b) to identify which police force, non-governmental organisation or other first responder made the initial referral; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will make it his policy to establish procedures to record counties in which those subject to human trafficking are discovered.

Helen Grant: The Salvation Army is contracted to co-ordinate and oversee the provision of support and assistance to victims to help them start to recover from their terrible ordeal. Under the existing contractual arrangements, The Salvation Army already collects information on the organisation or agency that has made the referral and this is published. The safety of identified victims is of the utmost importance and publishing information as to the county or police force from where they were referred through to The Salvation Army for support could result in them being rediscovered by their trafficker.
	Identification of potential victims of trafficking is a role undertaken by the National Referral Mechanism which is operated by the UK Human Trafficking Centre.

Judicial Review

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will publish all data recorded by the Legal Aid Agency on all certificate outcomes for judicial review cases funded in (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13.

Jeremy Wright: Legal aid providers report case outcomes for judicial review cases to the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) once the cases are closed. The following tables show, for each of the case outcome codes reported to the LAA, the volume of judicial review cases closed in 2011-12. Data for 2012-13 are not yet available.
	
		
			 Outcome Box 1—At what stage did the case end? 
			   Number of cases 
			 A No proceedings issued 618 
			 B Proceedings issued, no final hearing 291 
			 C Determined at final hearing 181 
			 D Determined on appeal 9 
			 E Concluded before permission applied for and considered by court 1,657 
			 F Permission not granted, concluded at first application stage (usually papers) 652 
		
	
	
		
			 G Permission not granted, concluded after renewed application 193 
			 H Permission granted, no final hearing took place 332 
			 I Permission granted, determined at final hearing 109 
			 J Permission granted, determined on appeal 32 
			  Total 4,074 
		
	
	
		
			 Outcome Box 2—How did the case end? 
			   Number of cases 
			 A Case withdrawn on solicitor or counsel's recommendation 651 
			 B Client withdrew or ceased to give instructions 402 
			 C Case otherwise withdrawn/not proceeded on merits 330 
			 D Settled 1,977 
			 E Determined by court/contested hearing 637 
			 F Funding withdrawn, not merits related 77 
			  Grand total 4,074 
		
	
	
		
			 Outcome Box 3—what was the result? 
			   Number of cases 
			 A Lump sum/property adjustment and periodical payments 8 
			 B Lump sum/property adjustment only 5 
			 C Periodical payments only 5 
			 D Client is respondent—client's liability to other party reduced, avoided or less than claimed 11 
			 E Possession proceedings dismissed or withdrawn 11 
			 G Possession proceedings adjourned on terms 1 
			 H Client obtains order or agreement for repairs and compensation 1 
			 L Reduced damages recovered (see guidance) 1 
			 M Client is defendant—claimant recovers no damages or reduced damages only 1 
			 N Substantive order in favour of the client 428 
			 O Settlement - with significant benefits for the client 1,612 
			 P Explanation or apology secured 36 
			 Q Outcome not known client proceeding by other means 218 
			 R None of the above apply (i.e. concluded with no favourable order or settlement) 1,736 
			  Grand total 4,074 
		
	
	
		
			 Outcome Box 4—was aid dispute resolution (ADR) proposed or used? 
			   Number of cases 
			 A ADR was not considered appropriate to the case and neither side proposed any form of ADR 4,033 
			 B We proposed but opponent declined 15 
			 C Opponent proposed but we declined 1 
			 D Both sides agreed to ADR but case concluded without its use 8 
			 E Case resolved through mediation 4 
			 F Mediation led to a significant narrowing of the issues or earlier settlement 2 
			 H Case resolved through ADR 4 
			 I ADR led to a significant narrowing of the issues or earlier settlement 2 
			 J Case continued and was not significantly assisted by ADR 5 
			  Grand total 4,074 
		
	
	
		
			 Outcome Box 5—were significant wider public benefits achieved? 
			   Number of cases 
			 N No such wider public benefits achieved. 4,013 
		
	
	
		
			 P The case achieved significant benefits for individuals other than the client 60 
			  Misreported 1

Offenders: Mental Health Services

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on supporting more appropriate use of the Mental Health Treatment Requirement as part of a community sentence.

Jeremy Wright: The changes introduced under the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 make it easier for courts to use mental health treatment requirement (MHTRs) by simplifying the assessment process and ensuring that those who require treatment can receive it as early as possible. We are establishing a new Health and Justice Partnership Board which brings together NHS England, Public Health England and local health commissioners to ensure that sufficient suitable treatment services are available across the justice system.

Parole

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effects of victim personal statements at Parole Board hearings; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Wright: The victim personal statement provides victims with a valuable opportunity to tell the Parole Board, when the Board is considering whether to direct the prisoner's release, how that prisoner's offence has affected them or their family and what the impact of the prisoner's release would be on them or their family.
	Where victims have evidence that an offender may present an ongoing risk to them or to others, the place for such evidence to be included, to inform the Parole Board's release decision, is not in their victim personal statement but in the offender manager's report to the Board. In such cases, victims' victim liaison officer should pass on the evidence to the prisoner's offender manager.
	If the Parole Board holds an oral hearing, victims may request to attend to read their statement in person.
	The purpose of an oral hearing is to assist the Parole Board determine whether the risk presented by a prisoner is such that he may be safely managed in the community. If the Parole Board is not so satisfied, it will not direct the release of the offender.
	No assessment has been made of the effects of victim personal statements at Parole Board hearings.

Prisons: Finance

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 11 June 2013, Official Report, columns 22-3W, on prisons: employment, what proportion of prison budgets are allocated for (a) training, (b) education, (c) fitness and (d) offending behaviour programmes; and to what extent those allocations reflect departmental guidance.

Jeremy Wright: The National Offender Management Service's central accounting system does not separately identify details of the proportion of budgets allocated to prisons on training; education; fitness; and all of the offending behaviour programmes. Budgets associated with such expenditure are primarily met through establishment baseline funding and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost by examining locally in each establishment, disaggregating and then collating the costs.
	There is no set departmental guidance on the proportional allocation of individual budgets. Prison budgets are compiled annually based on an assessment of operational business needs and may vary from year to year according to changes in departmental priorities.
	Education that is provided through providers contracted to the Skills Funding Agency is not included in prison budgets.
	Private sector prison contracts may include some or all of these activities, but the proportion of budget allocated to them is not separately identified.

Prisons: Wales

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the proposed timescale for identification of the specific site for the North Wales prison is;
	(2)  what the total budget is for the North Wales prison project;
	(3)  when work will commence on the building of the new prison in North Wales.

Jeremy Wright: An announcement about a preferred site for the new prison in North Wales will be made in due course. We anticipate that work will start on site next summer with the prison being fully operational by late 2017.
	It is expected that the new prison will cost around £250 million to fully deliver, although final costings are dependent on the exact size, location and function. This investment will deliver savings of £20 million a year from 2017-18.

Woodhill Prison

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what arrangements are in place for expert witnesses to conduct interviews with prisoners in private at Close Supervision Centre HM Prison Woodhill; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Wright: Prisons will always try and accommodate the requirements of expert witnesses. Operational constraints, including the limited availability of the expert witnesses or requests for interviews made at short notice may mean this is not always possible.